The Three Kingdoms began with self-reliance as king

Chapter 28
Qin Jie was defeated and retreated to Jiyang.

Wancheng has another chance to recuperate.

While urging Gongsun Qi and others to train soldiers, Liu Yi sent people to purchase food and grass.

It is impossible to develop without food and grass.

One day, Liu Yi finished his inspection of the troops.

I just returned to the Sheriff's Mansion and was looking at the mysterious formula in my backpack.

Suddenly, he received a report from his subordinates that Gongsun Qi caught several suspicious-looking people outside the city, and suspected that the other party was a secret agent of the Han army.

However, those people insisted that they were Jiangdong merchants, transporting and selling goods to and from all over the country, and they were definitely not the secret work of the Han army.

Gongsun Qi sent someone to ask Liu Yi for instructions.

Jiangdong merchants?

Liu Yi was overjoyed.

Now the number of troops is increasing day by day, and the daily consumption of food and grass is huge. According to the current inventory of Wancheng, it is only enough for three months.

If he can't get a stable source of food and grass, after three months, he can only use the food and grass in his backpack.

If the other party is really a merchant from Jiangdong.

The purchase of military rations should be much easier.

"Bring me up!"

"promise!"

The men promised to leave.

Soon.

Several men with their hands tied behind their backs were brought to him.

These people are merchants from Jiangdong?

Looking at the few people in front of him, Liu Yi felt a little ridiculous.

In his impression, the businessman must be extremely rich, well-clothed and well-fed, with superior living conditions.

It seems that I have watched too many costume movies, and I have preconceived ideas, thinking that everyone is like Shen Wansan on TV.

Most of the people in Wancheng wore gauze and silk cloth, and all these merchants from Jiangdong wore common clothes.

It's really shabby!

But he quickly responded.

In ancient times, civilians were roughly divided into four classes: scholars, farmers, businessmen and commerce.

Farmers are poor but not cheap, businessmen are rich but not expensive,
Merchants are at the bottom, with the lowest status, and belong to the last stream of existence.

"Jiaren don't have to wear beautiful clothes." Liu Bang's words completely restricted the qualifications of businessmen to wear gorgeous clothes.

From then on, merchants were not allowed to wear clothes with patterns and patterns, and only low-quality clothes without patterns were allowed.

Slowly it evolved into a social phenomenon: "If someone in the family is a businessman, no one is allowed to wear gauze"...

In ancient times, merchants lived and slept in the open on weekdays, and transported and sold goods all over the country and suffered.

The worst thing is that I often meet bandits and thieves on the road. If I am lucky, I will rob them of their goods. If I am not lucky, I will even die.

It's not easy to make a living, and it's full of tears if you talk too much.

After thinking it through, the whole person was relieved.

"Are you really merchants from Jiangdong?" Liu Yi looked at everyone carefully.

The leading man hastily replied:

"Don't dare to lie to the general, we are all merchants from Jiangdong, and we are definitely not the secret agents of the Han army!"

"That man Qin Jie was transferred by Jiang Xia.

You say that you are merchants from Jiangdong, without evidence, and I say that you are secret agents sent by Qin Jie! "

Defenses can not do without.

The history of Lu Meng and his men crossing the river in white clothes disguised as businessmen is a lesson from the past. Liu Yi must maintain a high degree of vigilance and not relax.

Seeing that Liu Yi wanted to put detailed labels on them.

Everyone's expressions changed drastically, for fear that Liu Yi would directly chop them off as small work.

Then they would die too unjustly.

"Jiangdong is Jiangdong, and Jiangxia is Jiangxia. We have nothing to do with Qin Jie at all. Please remind me, General."

"I have no power to restrain a chicken, and it is definitely not a meticulous work..."

Judging from their expressions and manners, they really don't look like meticulous work, so Liu Yi has some confidence in their identities.

"Since you are merchants from Jiangdong, why do you sneak around outside Wancheng? Could it be that you have ghosts in your hearts?"

"General, don't get me wrong!

We bought a batch of food, grass and utensils from Jiangdong, and wanted to sell them at a good price elsewhere, but we were stopped by the general's troops without thinking of passing through Wancheng. "

"Grain utensils?"

Liu Yi looked at the other party, wondering:

"The soldiers in my hand said they only saw a few of you. Where's your grain, grass and utensils? Don't you think I'm a three-year-old child, so foolish?"

"The team transporting grain, grass and utensils is still behind, and will arrive in Wancheng later."

"You're talking nonsense, I think you're clearly just trying to quibble.

Come on, drag it down. "

Liu Yi shouted impatiently to the guards beside him.

"General, the villain really didn't lie to you. The team to transport grain, grass and utensils will definitely arrive later."

The hearts of these merchants almost collapsed.

When a scholar meets a soldier, he can't explain why.

Facing the unreasonable Liu Yi, they were a little helpless.

Liu Yi has preconceived ideas, as long as they can't produce food, grass and utensils, he will think that they are the secret workers sent by Qin Jie.

Needless to say the consequences.

In fact, Liu Yi is still testing.

Looking at the expressions of the people, it really doesn't look like they are lying.

Now that there is chaos and thieves everywhere, it is more difficult to do business than in previous years.

It is human nature for these merchants to make sure that the things in their hands can be sold at a good price before shipping them here.

This helps to reduce the risks encountered during transportation.

"I'll just trust you for now! I wonder how much food you have?"

Seeing Liu Yi's change of attitude, several people breathed a sigh of relief, and before they knew it, their backs were wet.

The leader hurriedly replied:

"General, we have five thousand hu grains."

Five thousand dendrobium!
That is five thousand shi of grain.

Dendrobium, dendrobium, one stone is one dendrobium, just called differently.

Liu Yi, who is used to the system giving 20 shi and 30 shi of grain, and [-] shi of grain is a small scene for him.

Five thousand dendrobium is equivalent to 60 catties, which sounds like a lot.

However, the number of Yellow Turbans is calculated at [-].

A Yellow Turban soldier consumes an average of 2 catties of grain a day, and [-] people consume an average of [-] catties of grain a day.

60 catties of grain, but they only use it for half a month.

This is still calculated with fewer people.

He, Liu Yi, is more than just soldiers and horses.

Sure enough, it is easy to recruit soldiers, but difficult to raise them.

Five thousand dendrobium grains and grasses are only enough for more than ten days. .

This batch of food is still too little!

"Only [-] hu of grain? Come and drag it down."

The leading man said that again when he saw Liu Yi.

Hastily added: "If the general needs it, the villains will go back to Jiangdong to purchase from various sources, and they will surely be able to purchase tens of thousands of grains!"

Tens of thousands of grains!
Liu Yi showed a satisfied smile this time, if he could get these tens of thousands of grains, plus the surplus grain from Wancheng.

To feed those people under his hands, there will be no worries about food and grass in a short time.

"When will those guys arrive? How much is the price going to be?"

Liu Yi asked casually, seemingly in an understatement, and these people were speechless, looking at each other, not knowing how to answer.

This statement is obviously flawed.

The other party didn't mention anything about utensils, and seemed only interested in food.

Now as prisoners of the other party, they have no other choice at all.

"If the general needs it, the villain will order someone to bring in five thousand hu of grain and grass first, and the general will need to allow a few days for the rest.

After all, tens of thousands of dendrobium grain and grass is not a small amount, and it will take some time for us to acquire it.

As for the price, the general will just give you something..."

"You sold us food and grass, and joined the rebellion, so you are not afraid of the court's blame?"

The leading man looked bitter and explained:

"General, do you think we have any other options?

In business talk business, as long as we do business, as long as we can sell it at a good price, we can sell it wherever we go.

The countless mouths below are all supported by us..."

It is true that a businessman does nothing for profit, but if he has a choice, he naturally does not want to bear the infamy of sponsoring rebels.

Right now, people are using knives and I am fish, he just wants to survive.

Liu Yi sneered and said, "If the imperial court finds out about your sale of grain to us, you will implicate the nine clans..."

"This……"

Everyone fell into silence again, if it was just for their own survival.

Now it involves the interests of the entire family.

It was a tough choice for them.

It is true that businessmen are only interested in profit, but they all have a bottom line. What Liu Yi said hit the nail on the head.

They wanted to survive and earn money, but they never thought of trapping their families in doom.

It's okay if the rebellion fails and succeeds, but if it fails, the nine clans will be implicated.

As long as they can survive, no one will be willing to rebel.

Seeing that the merchants did not answer for a long time, Liu Yi knew that the only way to do it was to add more firewood...

(End of this chapter)