Governing the country, enriching the people, an unparalleled imperial tutor

Just as the footsteps of the officials drew ever closer, Emperor Jinghe's face paled again, adding to the most fatal and pressing predicament that was affecting the people's livelihood, and also the first major obstacle weighing on the Xuan Shuo court.

"Sir, it's time for the morning court session. There is one more matter that I have not yet explained in detail. It is also the most troublesome deadlock in the court and among the people right now." His voice was deep, full of helplessness and anxiety.

"The four major grain merchant families in Kyoto monopolize the grain transport routes between the north and south. This year, with some grain fields experiencing reduced yields, the four families have taken the opportunity to seal off their warehouses and hoard grain, jointly controlling prices. Grain prices in the capital have now tripled compared to previous years."

"Many people in the city cannot afford food and are struggling to make ends meet. There is widespread discontent and the number of displaced people is increasing day by day. However, the four major families have intricate ties, their marriages involve half of the local gentry and noble families, and they are secretly transferring huge sums of money to Grand Tutor Zhang Lin. With powerful ministers backing them up in the court, no one dares to investigate."

"I have tried to issue an edict to stabilize grain prices several times, but the cabinet has rejected it, saying that I am interfering in commercial affairs and that I have only ended up being blamed."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yanzhou instantly understood.

Compared to the undercurrents of power struggles within the imperial court, this is a genuine crisis affecting the people's livelihoods, and the most likely source of unrest.

Power struggles can be dragged out, but matters of food cannot. The day the people go hungry will be the beginning of the dynasty's collapse.

In his mind, the newly unlocked passive ability [Situation Insight] was instantly triggered, and countless pieces of information were automatically sorted and categorized, clearly revealing the logic behind the current food crisis.

The four major families monopolized grain supplies and blocked storage, artificially creating a famine and using reduced production as a pretext to inflate prices. Backed by the powerful minister Zhang Lin, they had someone in the court to back them up, and the government dared not suppress them. The people harbored deep resentment but had nowhere to appeal, and the court was helpless, creating a vicious cycle. The government's affordable grain supply was a drop in the ocean and was quickly swallowed up by grain merchants.

This is a typical case of capital forming a monopoly and power providing protection, treating people's livelihoods as a game to reap profits.

If it were an ordinary strategist in ancient times, they would most likely only come up with hard measures such as strict investigation, coercion, and opening granaries to distribute grain.

However, harsh measures only address the symptoms, not the root cause, and may even force the four major families to resort to desperate measures, colluding with powerful officials to launch an attack, thus giving Zhang Lin a pretext to be accused of "tyrannical rule and disrupting business."

A head-on confrontation would be futile for the young ruler, who currently has no power or troops, as he is unable to withstand the backlash.

Emperor Jinghe looked anxiously at Lin Yanzhou, who was deep in thought, and asked in a low voice, "Sir, is this matter... also unsolvable? The officials are now forcing the emperor to abdicate, and they will surely use the chaos in grain prices as an excuse to accuse me of being unworthy of my position and try to force me to step down and relinquish power."

Lin Yanzhou slowly shook his head, a confident and relaxed smile flashing in his eyes, once again displaying an air of certainty that he had people's hearts and the rules at his fingertips.

"There's no way there's no solution."

"They exploit the people by colluding with officials and businessmen and monopolizing profits. It seems like an impenetrable network, but in fact, it just happens to run into my area of ​​expertise."

Having worked in engineering for over a decade, he understands best the tricks of capital hoarding and market speculation, and the tactics of raising prices on the spot. He can see through the price manipulation of modern shopping malls in the ancient grain market with ease.

"To deal with hoarding and price gouging, there's no need to raid homes or use force; I'll use a transparent strategy."

"Playing chess openly and fairly, making the four major families willingly release grain and lower prices, leaving Zhang Lin with no room for criticism and forcing him to passively accept the moves."

Emperor Jinghe's eyes widened instantly, his face filled with disbelief: "Willingly? They hoarded and profited immensely, how could they willingly lower prices and release grain?"

Lin Yanzhou spoke calmly and clearly, articulating the core strategy for breaking the deadlock, each word hitting the nail on the head:

"First, the four major families are betting on a 'food shortage,' betting that this year's reduced production will leave no grain on the market, which is why they dare to hoard grain and raise prices exorbitantly. So let's break their core expectation first—that there will be no food shortage."

"They're betting on scarcity, so we're shattering that scarcity expectation. As long as the market believes there's enough food, no one will dare to buy high-priced grain."

"Secondly, the four major families have formed a monopoly, seemingly an impenetrable alliance, but in reality, each has its own ulterior motives. They all want to make the last bit of huge profits, and they are all afraid of being the last sucker who ends up taking the fall."

"We won't attack all four; we'll only sow discord and create internal strife. We'll secretly contact the weakest one, and once that one weakens, the four-party alliance will collapse."

"Everyone is afraid that their competitors will lower prices first and they will be stuck with unsold goods. Alliances that band together to raise prices are always the most vulnerable alliances."

"The third, and most ruthless, step, I can't say for now... It's like the stock market."

"I will not use the law to force me, but will use the imperial power to publicly announce the official grain price, which will be posted throughout the city so that everyone knows. I will set the specific price, and whatever price I set, all you need to do is trust me completely."

"Make everything public, let them see the market economy. Turn the high-priced grain hoarded by the four major families into 'disastrous grain' that everyone avoids and dares not buy."

The entire scheme was dismantled, revealing no underhanded tactics whatsoever; it was all about playing the rules and manipulating people's hearts on the surface.

Be upright and aboveboard, so that even if the opponent knows it's a trap, they have no choice but to fall into it and admit defeat.

Emperor Jinghe was greatly shaken upon hearing this, and suddenly felt enlightened, his pent-up frustration of many days vanished.

In the past, court officials would only call for severe punishment and confiscation of property. This would only exacerbate conflicts and backfire. No one had ever been able to calmly resolve a predicament and turn a dead end around like this.

"Sir, your strategy is truly brilliant! Although I do not understand what you mean by the stock market and market economy, your words are something I have never heard before. Since the late emperor sent you to assist me, he must have had his reasons. I will stand with you through thick and thin."

Lin Yanzhou smiled faintly: "It's all the same old tricks. The methods that modern capital has already used to speculate on real estate and the stock market are exactly the same in the ancient grain market. Hahaha, these are the tricks I'm best at."

As soon as the words were spoken, the footsteps of the officials outside the hall reached the hall gate. The noisy requests for petitions, impeachments, and calls for the abdication of the emperor exploded, penetrating the hall gate and resounding throughout the entire Jingxin Side Hall.

The coup led by Grand Tutor Zhang Lin, involving a group of officials, arrived as scheduled.

This time, Lin Yanzhou, who has mastered the rules of modern capital games, is ready to take on the challenge.