radicalducati Page 164
Page 164
However, compared to those monks who amass wealth, these genuine monks are too poor; they might even go hungry in a few days.
"Are there any casualties?"
"It's not that much. Some of the guys got beaten up when they tried to stop them, but it wasn't serious."
The other party was clearly hesitant to take action and did not want to offend the Zhang family too much.
Given the Zhang family's strength, any major power with a modicum of intelligence would understand how to make a decision.
"Recall the managers and employees from those areas, and then disperse them to relatively stable areas that are not affected by floods."
He instructed the head managers not to leave a single manager or employee on their territory, lest any members of the White Lotus Cult take advantage of the situation to launch an attack from within!
"Yes, Master!"
Zhang Yuan did not object. Zhang Xiaoshan's arrangements were extremely meticulous, even taking precautions against the White Lotus Sect.
As for those goods?
As long as the land title is still valid, everything can start over. Besides, after being robbed, most of the shops are just empty shells.
Perhaps the empty shops can provide a safe haven for the homeless.
Get it in one fell swoop!
As for the losses, the Zhang family didn't care at all.
The disaster-stricken areas are not major commercial districts, so the profits are not large. The total annual net profit is less than 10,000 yuan. Although the investment is considerable, it is only enough to expand the business empire.
"In addition, mobilize all the merchant ships that the Zhang family can mobilize and open the granaries where grain is stored."
Three hundred thousand shi (a unit of dry measure) at a time, and more will be allocated after that.
Also, inform Zhao Longxiang to take three hundred guards to escort the grain ships, and to kill anyone who tries to rob the grain!
I'll send two teams of Blood Droplets to assist him later!
Zhang Xiaoshan didn't want to provoke the White Lotus Sect directly, because he was mostly dealing with ordinary people. The higher-ups of the White Lotus Sect were like rats in the dark, their whereabouts unknown.
Losing money wasn't a big deal for Zhang Xiaoshan; he didn't want to create a troublesome enemy.
You can't hit them, you can't scold them, and there are even rats stabbing you in the back in the dark.
Of course, if the other party really thinks the Zhang family is easy to bully, then Zhang Xiaoshan will also let them know the fury of thunder.
···
"Is it a good thing or a bad thing?"
Sitting in his study, Zhang Xiaoshan wrote a handbook on epidemic prevention and the method of work-for-relief.
At the same time, he watched his merit points grow rapidly again. In just a few days, he had another 10,000 merit points in his account!
This should be a good thing for him.
The grain that was previously stockpiled from Southeast Asia will now be donated in the form of tens or hundreds of thousands of units.
But beneath this act of merit lay countless suffering, the loss of homes, and displacement; vast plains littered with bones; people resorting to cannibalism, exchanging children for food…
Although it wasn't his fault, he would rather exchange these good deeds for a peaceful spring flood season.
"Amitabha!"
Inside the Buddhist hall, the atmosphere, which was usually filled with revelry every night, was unusually solemn.
Huang Rong, Hong Xiao, Jiang Xue, and others all followed Master Ming Chen in reciting scriptures to help them be reborn in the Pure Land.
Outside the new mansion, the scene of skyrocketing grain prices from years ago was being reenacted, and the atmosphere throughout Lin'an Prefecture was not good.
Although the Zhang family had no shortage of food, they also had no shortage of people who had nothing better to do than lament about the plight of the masses.
According to Zhang Xiaoshan, eating too much leads to thinking too much.
......... ...... ...
Huang Rong could only roll her eyes at Zhang Xiaoshan in response.
"Alright, Piaoxu, send these to Zhang Family Trading Company and make copies to distribute."
"Yes, son!"
Looking at what Zhang Xiaoshan had prepared, Liu Sheng Piaoxu turned and left.
"Things are probably going to get turbulent from now on. You all need to improve your strength as soon as possible. Even if you don't reach the Grandmaster level, you should at least be at the eighth or ninth level. Otherwise, you might hold me back."
"That serious? It's just a disaster, isn't it?"
"The disaster is only one aspect!"
Seeing Huang Rong's puzzled expression, Zhang Xiaoshan, knowing that this girl was usually clever and quick-witted but had always been sheltered and hadn't experienced much in life, shook his head and explained:
"What you see as a disaster is a sign of good fortune to many people."
In particular, traces of the White Lotus sect's activities have been found in various disaster areas. Under such man-made disasters, the Ming and Song dynasties may have declined from their peak.
The Ming Dynasty's military was concentrated at the Nine Passes, not to mention the Song Dynasty, which had been weak for a long time.
Once the White Lotus Rebellion breaks out, although it won't shake the two great empires, it could shake their very foundations, ushering in a turbulent period.
"Can't the imperial court take some precautions?"
"Can't defend against it!"
In disaster-stricken areas, even government officials are preoccupied with their own problems.
Moreover, the White Lotus Sect has been playing cat and mouse for so many years that it's impossible to catch them; at most, they can only catch ordinary people.
This is also why Zhang Xiaoshan was unwilling to provoke them.
It's a thankless task!
"Alright, let's not dwell on this anymore; this is a matter for the imperial court."
Your task now is to improve your strength so as not to hold me back. Otherwise, you won't be able to deal with the Zhang family, let alone a group of you women.
"Who said we're easy to bully?"
Huang Rong glared at Zhang Xiaoshan. You should know that she is now at the peak of the seventh level of cultivation. Her Taiyin Qi can extend three feet outward and push horizontally for ten feet.
"I said!"
He carried Huang Rong on his back and went directly into the side room.
The seventh level of the peak realm seems very strong, but this time Zhang Xiaoshan insists that Huang Rong reach the eighth level before leaving seclusion.
After all, even the top masters in the martial arts world only have the ability to protect themselves at the eighth level.
Chapter 216 The Conspiracy of the White Lotus Saintess in Five Million Stone Town
"Have you heard? The Zhang family has donated 300,000 shi of grain for disaster relief!"
Thirty shi? That's a lot!
How much is 300,000 shi of grain? Most of them couldn't even imagine it.
Moreover, this is a direct donation, not hoarding to be sold at a higher price. Keep in mind that grain prices have skyrocketed recently; hoarding them now could potentially yield 300,000 gold coins in a short time.
Even they had to admire the Zhang family's great courage and decisiveness, and they never let them down when it mattered most.
"Hey, your news is outdated."
Not long ago, the Zhang family announced that their granaries held over five million shi of grain. Once these 300,000 shi were used up, a second batch of 300,000 shi would be released.
"Five million shi? How is that possible? The entire empire's disaster relief grain reserves don't even amount to that much!"
"Hey, it's impossible in the Central Plains. The information from within the Zhang family comes from Southeast Asia."
The grain yield in Southeast Asia is three or four harvests a year, and each time the yield per mu is more than three shi; while the Zhang family's Southeast Asian fleet returns about once every four months, and most of the grain they bring back is stockpiled.
Young Master Zhang said something about how low grain prices hurt farmers; with one to two million shi of grain entering the market annually, it would inevitably impact the grain market.
"Really?"
···
"Haha, the Prime Minister actually believed it."
Five hundred bushels of grain is a huge amount. If it cannot be consumed, it will be a complete waste. The Zhang family are not the kind of people who waste grain.
The previously distributed amount of five million koku was merely to stabilize morale; otherwise, panic would inevitably lead to chaos.
New Mansion Villa.
Tong Guan originally intended to go to the Zhang family's residence, but considering that the Zhang family's son had always been in charge of maritime affairs, he changed his route and went to Xinfu instead.
As for Tong Guan's inquiry, it was also at the emperor's behest.
With five million shi of grain in storage, even the emperor wanted to borrow grain directly.
The situation is critical in many places now, just like the riverbed before, the water inside is very deep.
The disaster relief reserves of the Ming and Song empires definitely exceeded ten million shi (a unit of dry measure), but it would be good if one million shi could be implemented, and it was still one of the means for the scholar-official class to exploit and oppress again.
While the rich wine and meat smell, the road with frozen bone!
This is not just empty talk. Not to mention the martial arts families of Tang, even the so-called scholarly lineages have begun to bare their greedy fangs.
"I see. How much wealth does the Zhang family still have?"
"The latest batch just arrived, and there are still two million shi (a unit of dry measure) of grain. That should be enough to last until the next batch arrives!"
puff!
Tong Guan's expression, which had just relaxed, immediately turned into one of disbelief.
Two million koku, even if not five million koku, is still an extremely impressive number.
Even Tong Guan was extremely shocked to learn that the Zhang family had so much grain stored up.
"so much?"
"Very little grain from the Zhang family enters the market, and what does enter is three years old, so nobody pays any attention to it."
Three-year-old grain is not the same as three-year-old wine; it belongs to the lowest-priced batch, costing less than three hundred coins per shi (a unit of dry measure).
In contrast, new rice, due to the abundant sunshine and rainfall in Southeast Asia, is of superior quality and starts at least at one silver tael in the market, making it a rising star.
But the Zhang family hoarded all of this grain for preservation.
"With so much grain, does the Zhang family really intend to donate it all?"
"The Zhang family stockpiled this grain because Mr. Zhang saw the aftermath of the great disaster last time, so they were preparing for any eventuality."
Otherwise, the Zhang family wouldn't have spread the rumor that they had five million shi of grain in reserve; their purpose was to stabilize the overall situation.
The Zhang family are just businessmen, so a stable environment is the only platform for their development.
If war breaks out, the Zhang family will become a blood bag for certain people. There are probably many people eyeing the Zhang family's wealth. The inner minister also knows that "a common man is innocent, but he is guilty of possessing a treasure!"
In addition to the two million shi (a unit of dry measure), the Zhang family has also borrowed many large ships from the coast, which are currently transporting grain.
"Three months of headwinds, two months of favorable winds—the next batch of grain will surely arrive!"
Upon hearing Zhang Xiaoshan's words, Tong Guan nodded.
Indeed, the Zhang family are true businessmen; they have no intention of interfering in the imperial court, nor do they control any major power.
If the Zhang family had taken sides, that would have been fine, but the Zhang family didn't take sides.
The Zhang family's great compassion and courage are evident in their willingness to donate so readily, even to the point of emptying their coffers.
"Tong Guan will certainly heed the Emperor's words, Young Master Zhang. The Zhang family's loyalty to the Emperor is as clear as the sun and moon!"
Before leaving, Tong Guan took with him a set of glass wine utensils.
For Tong Guan, another reason he liked coming to the new city was...
Zhang Xiaoshan always gave him unusual and rare items, unlike the conservative Master Zhang who only gave him gold notes.
After years of embezzlement, does he lack that little bit of money?
His mansion must contain at least five million gold coins, if not ten million.
Now that he's old, he's lost interest in gold and silver, because he's already amassed enough wealth.
With the arrival of the first batch of thirty bushels of grain, and Zhang's servants beginning to spread propaganda about epidemic prevention and work-for-relief methods, it immediately caused a huge sensation.