Song Chu: Dad, if you don't work hard, how can I just lie down and relax?

Chapter 51 People with Different Paths Cannot Make Plans Together

Wang Jun had no idea who Yuan Yan was. Although he was now also a member of the Palace Guard, he was a civil official whose main responsibility was to serve as Zhao Guangyi's scribe and secretary.

Lately, I've been incredibly busy every day, plus dealing with the brick factory and hoarding, I simply haven't had the energy to pay attention to national affairs. As a result, I'm completely unaware of Yuan Yan, who is the subject of much discussion in the court.

If we keep talking like this, won't we be showing our ignorance?

However, Wang Jun was an experienced man. Although he was flustered inside, he remained outwardly calm and did not answer Zhang Mei at all. Instead, he said:

"Tomorrow, my father-in-law will be officially moving to Luoyang. Moving is quite troublesome, and as his son-in-law, I should lend a hand. I have already asked the Second Prince for leave. The Palace Guard is busy with military discipline recently, and I feel quite embarrassed."

Zhang Mei understood his underlying meaning: "Young master is really too busy, let's get down to business."

This means they don't want to talk to me.

This disappointed him somewhat, but it was normal. The man had powerful backers and didn't care about the appreciation of a former official like himself. He had just been quite threatening to the man, so the man was unwilling to be his friend. It was a case of not being able to see eye to eye.

"Very well, since Brother Zhaoyuan has already transported the grain to Huaizhou and Mengzhou, let's not talk about the grain anymore. How about we talk about money instead?"

The imperial court is poor right now. As the Minister of the Three Departments, I'm constantly struggling to make ends meet, robbing Peter to pay Paul. It's tough, tough, tough! Even a skilled cook can't cook without rice. I was hoping to squeeze some rich and unscrupulous merchants out of money, but the result is…”

Wang Jun secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He had been prepared for the money issue and took out his account book for Zhang Mei to see, saying, "Grand Commandant, please take a look. All the accounts since my family started stockpiling and purchasing grain are here."

"Can such a thin ledger record everything?"

"Yes, I mostly bought and stored grain on credit. Apart from the soil I exchanged for daily relief grain, I rarely sold anything until today. This is what I got by exchanging grain for soil to make bricks and tiles."

Especially the hollow red bricks, which were all exchanged for tea. This is where my profits from selling tea truly lie; all the profits from my entire business are here.

"Grand Commandant, even if we include the profits from tea and glazed tiles, I have still lost 123,800 strings of cash in less than a month."

"How could we have lost so much money?"

"The average price I pay for grain from those grain merchants is about 150 wen per dou (a unit of dry measure). We consume one or two thousand hu (another unit of dry measure) of grain for relief every day. How much would I have to sell to break even by selling bricks and tea?"

"Not to mention, after my act with the Empress Dowager, I lowered the price of grain. Today, the price is 120 wen per dou, and I plan to lower it even more tomorrow. This is all pure loss."

Zhang Mei looked up and asked Wang Jun with some confusion, "Didn't you mostly buy your grain on credit?"

"Debts owed always need to be repaid."

"Why should I pay it back? I've already arrested them. Are there still some who have escaped? Tell me who else you owe money to, and I'll break down the door and arrest them tonight."

Wang Jun was taken aback and said, "Even if someone is arrested, they still have family members, right? It's not good for the debt to be wiped out with the death of the person."

Zhang Mei: "Family? How about I kill their whole family? That way, I won't have to pay back the debt. If my wife's family or my mother's family is more powerful... then I might as well arrest them all."

Wang Jun was stunned.

Didn't Zhao Kuangyin's edict say... those who hoard goods for speculation will be executed without mercy?

It didn't say they would kill the whole family or exterminate three generations.

What's up with this?

"Any more questions?" Zhang Mei asked.

"Well... that's all. If I don't have to pay back these debts, then I've still made quite a bit of money. I can afford to give all of it, 110,000 or 120,000 strings of cash, to the Grand Commandant."

"It's not for me, it's for the imperial court. How about this, you donate 100,000 strings of cash to support the military, and I'll show you my merit. What do you say?"

"Sure," Wang Jun agreed readily.

"Alright, then thank you, Brother Zhaoyuan. These past few days I've inspected twenty grain stores and shops throughout Kaifeng. A city as big as Kaifeng can't function without grain stores and shops."

I won't let you waste your money. Those shops, along with their employees, are all criminal property, so I'll hand them all over to Brother Zhaoyuan.

"this……"

Wang Jun hesitated.

Wouldn't this be considered extortion?

He's the one who owes money, yet he killed the whole family first and then took over their business. What kind of logic is that?

"Kaifeng has a population of four to five hundred thousand, and everyone needs to eat and buy food. We should not trouble two people with the same task. Brother Zhaoyuan is a man of conscience and benevolence. I am at ease entrusting this to you, and the government is at ease as well. Only then can the people of Kaifeng eat cheaper food. Please do not refuse, Brother Zhaoyuan."

"Am I the only one selling grain in all of Kaifeng? That's too dangerous. If grain prices fluctuate in the city, won't I be responsible for it?"

"Alright, I'll take temporary control. After six months, when the situation stabilizes, the Kaifeng Prefecture or the Three Departments can auction them off; I'll keep none."

Zhang Mei was even more surprised: "Brother Zhaoyuan, you don't want the money that's being given to you for free? You control more than thirty grain stores in Kaifeng City. You can manipulate grain prices in Kaifeng all by yourself. You can make a lot of money."

"If I, Wang Jun, want to make money, I don't need to do this kind of hot potato. After this incident, if I, Wang Jun, do any business in the future, I will never do the grain business again."

"Zhaoyuan is noble and virtuous; I admire him."

"Grand Commandant, I do indeed have some matters to attend to. If you have nothing else, I will excuse myself."

My son is also the owner of Tongfu Inn, and there's absolutely no reason for the Grand Commandant to spend money on it. If the Grand Commandant has anything else he'd like to eat or drink, please put it on my son's tab. Forgive me, forgive me.”

After saying that, Wang Jun got up and left.

He didn't like Zhang Mei. He felt uncomfortable with her. As a civil official, she clearly disregarded the laws and regulations of the court. Dining with her made Wang Jun feel uneasy, like he had thorns in his back.

Although he knew that Zhang Mei's way of doing things might indeed be more efficient, and that this was perhaps the way things were during the chaotic Five Dynasties period, and that Wang Lu had told him that Zhang Mei was an honest official, so he should indeed be accumulating wealth for the country, he simply couldn't agree with it.

Different road non-phase plan.

Zhang Mei's expression also changed. She hadn't expected Wang Jun to be so disrespectful, but since the important matters had indeed been discussed, she nodded and said, "Brother Zhaoyuan, please go ahead."

Wang Jun reached for the account book on the table, but Zhang Mei suddenly pressed his hand down on his shoulder: "Brother Zhaoyuan, would it be convenient for me to borrow this account book to take back and look at it for a couple of days? I'll send someone to return it to you by the day after tomorrow at the latest."

"it is good."

Wang Jun didn't think much of it. Anyway, he hadn't falsified the accounts, and he wasn't planning to continue dealing with grain, bricks, and tea anyway. He immediately clasped his hands in a fist and bowed to Zhang Mei before taking his leave.

Zhang Mei smiled as she watched Wang Jun leave the private room. While drinking her wine, she flipped through the account book and couldn't help but chuckle:

"He'd rather be given money than accept it, quite a character indeed. But these accounts... they're so neat! How could they be so meticulous? Isn't the accountant at the brickyard his second wife?"

"Waiter, waiter!" Zhang Mei suddenly called out.

"Grand Commandant, what are your orders?"

"Brother Zhaoyuan just said that this meal and wine should be put on your host's tab."

"Yes, yes, yes, it is an honor for our inn to have you here, Grand Commandant."

"Give me two more bear paws, I want to take them to go. And go to the door and call my two guards. Such good food shouldn't be wasted."

"ah……."

"Also, tell your manager to bring me the accounts of your Tongfu Inn. I need to check your books."