It was cold back then

After breakfast on the second day, everyone gathered at the gate of the post station, intending to take a horse to inspect the fertile land in the south.

The important city in the Southland is not Sheng'an City, but because this city is the closest to the customs, it is the most convenient to buy rice, so the largest rice merchant in the Southland is now also located in Sheng'an City.

Before leaving, several people went to the rice merchant to find out the situation.

After walking around the granary, Pei Lu asked, "It looks like there's a lot of stock in stock, how long is it enough?"

Boss Li said seriously: "Don't look at the stock here, but with so many people in the Southlands opening their mouths to eat, this stock can last at most a month."

"I'm ignorant and ignorant, and I don't know much about these aspects," Pei Lu said modestly, "I hope the boss can clarify something."

"Young master, please tell me."

"Duguan has a small territory and is surrounded by fishing villages. It stands to reason that the cultivation of good farmland should not be half that of Nandi, but how can Nandi support so many people?"

Boss Li replied: "Whether you open a rice merchant or set up a retail stall, apart from rice farmers, how can you grow it yourself and sell it yourself? For such a huge business, crossing the customs is not farming by yourself, but buying rice from other places." farmers to purchase and resell.”

Pei Lu was stunned, and said with a smile: "Mr. Yao Wang is really very rich."

Boss Li said: "In a rich place like Duguan, if you want to buy rice, there are many rice farmers who want to curry favor. The firewood, rice, oil and salt are the foundation of people. It looks inconspicuous, but in fact there are great business opportunities. Providing rice grains for sale, crossing the customs has also made a lot of money in these years."

Pei Lu agreed, and then asked: "Then the boss, does the boss know where Duguan bought the rice from?"

Boss Li sighed: "If I knew, I wouldn't have to worry so much. I should have gone to negotiate with those rice farmers a few years ago. Why did I need to go through the transitional customs? There are no conditions for farming in the south. If you want to buy rice in the east Mi, it is time-consuming and laborious, and it also costs money, so it is not worthwhile, and now that crossing the customs has become the territory of the Western Territory, you adults need to work hard, and come up with a good plan as soon as possible."

Pei Lu nodded and said: "You should try your best. In such a special period, I hope the boss will not increase the price of rice. It is best to open merchants on a regular basis every day, and each person is limited to a certain number of purchases. We must try our best to control the inventory. Let’s wait for a while, and we’ll have to think about ways to deal with it.”

Boss Li cupped his hands and said: "What the young landlord said is very true, I will definitely do it."

Several people walked out of the rice business, and they all looked worried.

Yue Chuhan said: "I would like to trouble Section Master Zhang to tell you that from today onwards, no reselling of rice grains will be allowed in the Southern Region, if anyone goes against the wind and buys it back from a rice merchant at a low price, and then sells it at a high price, he will be punished severely. "

Hall Master Zhang responded, and then called two disciples and said, "According to what the Xiao Zhuang Master said, go back and write a few more notices, and post them on all the pass cities in the South. In addition, this rice merchant opens rice every day Send more people to watch, don't loot, don't mess up, go."

The two disciples understood and immediately withdrew.

Yan Buchun frowned and said, "What can we do, this rice merchant only has enough rice for a month." After he finished speaking, he snorted again, "That old thing, Yao Wang, is really hiding something. For seven whole years, he insisted on turning Nandi into his cash cow. Fortunately, he kicked his legs and didn't care about mundane affairs. He earned so much black-hearted money in this life and enjoyed the glory and wealth, but in the end, he didn't let people live in peace after death. .”

After a night of deliberation, Section Master Zhang has already accepted the various conjectures that Nandi is related to Yao Wang, and said: "I really didn't expect that, although we have no evidence for this, as long as you are not a fool, you can know the cause and effect. The King of Medicine planned it all by himself, but what I don't understand is that although the Valley of the King of Medicine is independent of the rivers and lakes after it was moved to Fuyu Island, it originally belonged to the Eastern Realm, so how could he lay hands on the South?"

Yan Buchun sneered and said: "This man has a black heart, so he doesn't care who is in the east or not? As long as he can make money, let alone the people in the south, the people in his Yaowang Valley are probably insignificant. You see, If he really intends to make friends with the Eastern Realm, why bother to make a show of accepting disciples? What is done on the surface is fair, but in fact it is cheaper for the Western Realm! How can we get the slightest benefit from the Eastern Realm?"

Yue Chuhan said: "The matter has come to this point, it's useless to say more, let's go to the fertile fields to see the situation first."

Hearing this, everyone immediately got up, Pei Lu suddenly said: "I forgot to leave my fan in the granary, I'll go back, everyone wait for me."

After he finished speaking, he turned back and entered the rice business. Everyone waited for a while, and soon saw Pei Lu walking out holding a fan.

"Okay, let's go."

They went back to the station to pick up the horses, and went out of the city together.

Walking back and forth for a while, Hall Master Zhang and Yan Buchun were driving side by side, talking in front of each other, Yue Chuhan turned his head and asked Pei Lu in a low voice: "What did you find out when you went back?"

Pei Lu glanced at her with a smile: "It's Chuhan who really knows me, but the conversation between the two people in front reminded me. It stands to reason that if a rice merchant buys grain in such a large southern land, he will definitely not make a small amount of money. Besides, I asked Boss Li in advance, the last time I bought was on the eighth day of the lunar new year, and it was only half a month, how could there be only enough food left for one month?"

Yue Chuhan said: "Is there a conclusion?"

Pei Ludao: "Just now I went back and asked Boss Li. He said that when he bought from Duguan last time, the other party claimed that the stock was not enough and that new grain would have to wait for a while. If you want to buy rice, you can only buy it for a month at most. Rations."

Yue Chuhan frowned and said, "It's strange."

"Isn't it just strange?" Pei Lu said, "It seems that it was planned in advance. Without sufficient food for Nandi, the King of Medicine must have known about the destruction of Fuyu Island a long time ago, so he controlled the supply of goods in advance to cause today's situation."

Yue Chu coldly snorted: "Seven years ago, the King of Medicine had defected to the Western Territory."

Pei Lu sighed and said: "It's really well-intentioned. It must have included my own death date. It seems that we are in big trouble this time."

Yue Chuhan stared ahead for a while, then suddenly murmured in a low voice: "If father is still here, how will he deal with this matter?"

Pei Lu looked at her: "It is said that you are better than blue. Uncle Yue cares about the people of Liming. Naturally, he will do his best to deal with it. Don't underestimate yourself."

Yue Chuhan let out a soft "hmm".

After the conversation between the two, Pei Lu couldn't help casting his gaze at Qi Sang.

But when it comes to serious affairs in the world, she is always extraordinarily quiet. Right now she is sitting obediently in front of Yue Chuhan, holding on to the saddle with both hands. Seeing that she is a little obedient, she joked: "It's better to be a little baby. Carefree."

It took Qisang a long time to realize that he was talking about herself, so she replied, "How much older are you than me? I'm not a baby."

Pei Lu smiled and said, "Then do you have an opinion on this matter?"

Qi Sang smiled back at him: "I'm not as capable as you, so I don't have much insight, but after hearing so much from you, I still know where the current problem lies."

"Then you talk about it?"

"Duguan has been lost. There is no way to do it. For now, we can only solve it from the inside of the Southland. The grain production is facing two problems. One is that the fertile land in the Southland cannot be cultivated. We can find out the reason later. , and then there is the climate problem, there is not much rain in the south, and the crops cannot drink enough water, if there is not enough water resources, even if those fields can grow crops, it will be in vain."

Seeing that she spoke clearly and logically, Pei Lu became interested: "It's even if you haven't lost your mind, but you understand a lot. As you said, you can investigate the matter of farming, but how to solve the problem of water shortage?"

Qi Sang thought for a while and asked, "Have you heard the allusion of 'Da Yu's water control'?"

"Dayu controlled the flood?" Pei Lu thought for a while, "Never."

Qi Sang narrated: "A long time ago, there was a man named Dayu who was a genius in water control. At that time, the world was suffering from floods, and the people were in dire straits. Life was very difficult. The method of blocking water and adopting a new method of dredging successfully diverted the raging flood into the sea and solved the waterlogging disaster.”

Pei Lu listened carefully, but also asked: "But now the southern land is not suffering from floods, but droughts."

Qi Sang said: "Be more flexible. I mean by this allusion, Dayu can dig rivers to dredge the floods in the face of floods. If there is water shortage in the south, we can also follow his example and give water from other places to the city. Bring it over."

Pei Lu was quiet for a while, and his eyes lit up: "It makes sense!" But he couldn't help but wonder, "It must be an extremely huge project to divert water. It is difficult to transfer the water over the years."

Qisang asked, "So where is the nearest water source to the Southland?"

Pei Lu thought hard for a while: "This... I really don't know."

Suddenly Yue Chuhan said: "Beiming Mountain Range."

Qi Sang looked back at her: "How far is it?"

Yue Chuhan made some calculations: "If you hurry up, it will take about one month for a one-way trip."

a month? !Qi Sang was surprised: "It's so far away, isn't there anything closer?"

Yue Chuhan said: "The current water used in the Southland is obtained from the Lingshan Reservoir, but the reservoir is not abundant, and it won't last long if it is used to irrigate the farmland. A channel leads to the reservoir."

Qisang said slowly: "That is really a huge project... But there is no other way, right? Although it takes a little more manpower, material resources and time, the water shortage in the Southland will be solved sooner or later. Just give up because the road ahead is difficult?"

Yue Chuhan pondered and said: "This move is feasible, but it still needs to be discussed in the long run. After all, there are many things involved, so let's keep it for now."

Pei Lu grinned: "I didn't expect that sister Qisang has such talents, did you underestimate you in the past?"

Qi Sang thought to herself, I am a person who has received modern advanced science education!He raised his chin and said, "It's not too late for you to know now!"

"That's it, that's it," Pei Lu made a bow to her, "My brother has been taught, and I will ask my younger sister to give me advice from time to time."

Qi Sang said generously, "It's easy to say, easy to say!"

Yue Chuhan looked at her with downcast eyes, and a faint smile couldn't help but appear on his lips.