The most arrogant in history

Chapter 628: Low grain prices hurt farmers.

"Two days ago, I also received a telegram from Governor Wenqi, talking about the drought in Guanzhong. However, Governor Wenqi said that drinking water for humans and livestock can be guaranteed at present."

Ye Kun nodded: "It's not common for drought to occur in winter. The nine ministries have also received urgent reports, indicating that the drought in Guanzhong is already quite serious. Let's think about how to provide disaster relief."

In fact, the drought in Guanzhong started during the autumn planting season.

Wheat, rapeseed, peas and beans were all planted with difficulty.

Another two months passed without a drop of rain, causing the drought to become severe.

The Minister of Revenue said, "Since water for people and livestock can be guaranteed, I don't think the court needs to do disaster relief for the time being. Even if there is a harvest failure next spring and famine occurs, it will be several months later."

Qin Chou seconded the proposal: "This autumn, Guanzhong still has a good harvest. The people should have surplus food at home and can spend the winter safely."

Ye Kun looked at the crowd and said, "For disaster relief, we still need to plan ahead and take action first. Because the people are afraid of famine in their bones. If there is not enough food, people will flee from famine or spread rumors, causing panic among the people."

Sang Buzhi asked, "The people in Guanzhong have enough food to eat now. Do they need help from the imperial court?"

"We don't need to provide aid for the time being, but we need to increase the supply of grain in the market and ensure that grain prices remain stable. As long as grain prices remain stable, the people will feel at ease."

Ye Kun thought for a moment and continued, "Order all prefectures and counties in Guanzhong to open their official warehouses and sell grain at affordable prices. Don't wait until next year. If you wait until next year to release grain, it will cause fear.

In addition, the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Revenue provided 1,000 water trucks to support drought relief in Guanzhong. Twenty steam water pumps were mobilized to pump river water to drought-stricken areas. Buckets, water tanks, and water jars were purchased and sent to Hanzhong to facilitate water storage for emergency use.

He ordered all states and counties to organize grassroots officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Revenue, Ministry of Industry, and Ministry of Water Resources to build a number of small and medium-sized ponds, dams, and water conservancy facilities while the drought was occurring and the rivers were drying up.

Technical personnel were sent to dig a thousand wells in the Guanzhong area to facilitate people's lives.

The Ministry of Finance and Taxation participated in the investigation and provided funding support.

Tell all the states and counties that if any civilian dies of thirst, they will be held accountable!"

Everyone nodded together.

He Kangju clasped his fists and said, "Your Majesty, I suggest that the court announce that the grain and agricultural taxes in the disaster-stricken areas of Guanzhong will be exempted next spring to reassure the people."

Ye Kun nodded: "I agree."

Wu Qiong thought for a moment and said, "In this case, the amount of money for disaster relief may be quite large..."

"Even if we have to empty the national treasury, we have to provide disaster relief." Ye Kun was dissatisfied and said in a deep voice:

"The country's finances and taxes are all contributed by the people. Now that the people are in trouble, if the court sits back and does nothing, then such a court is a robber. Such an empire deserves to perish!"

Wu Qiong stood up hurriedly: "Your Majesty, that's not what I meant. I fully support disaster relief."

Ye Kun nodded and said, "Tomorrow, publish the drought situation in Guanzhong in the newspaper and tell the people that the court will do its best to provide disaster relief and ensure that the disaster-stricken areas have food and drink so that they can spend the winter safely."

After returning to the imperial study, Ye Kun sent another telegram, asking Wen Qi to immediately send someone to investigate in Guanzhong and report the disaster in a timely manner without concealing anything!

Late at night, Wenqi called back:

The people in Guanzhong are living a stable life, but they are worried about the harvest next year. The prefectures and counties in Guanzhong have also spontaneously organized disaster relief, and drinking water for people and livestock is not a problem for the time being. If the drought continues, drinking water may be in short supply.

Ye Kun called back in the morning: If any people die of thirst, the county officials, township heads, and village heads will be held accountable and severely punished. Relief materials and personnel will arrive as soon as possible. Governor Wen must focus on disaster relief and make every effort to arrange disaster relief work.

Wen Qi called back again and assured Ye Kun that the disaster relief work was completed.

In fact, Ye Kun can still deal with local disasters.

This year, there is a bumper harvest of sweet potatoes across the country.

Ordinary people have a lot of dried sweet potatoes and other food at home.

Simply providing some grain support from the Central Plains and Hanzhong can ensure the stability of grain prices in Guanzhong.

Coincidentally, Qin Chou came to the imperial study to report on this year's agricultural situation.

Ye Kun looked at the report and smiled, "Sweet potatoes are still the best. From now on, there will be no more threats of famine."

After the introduction of sweet potatoes, after four years of full promotion, a bumper harvest was finally achieved across the country.

According to the report, the average sweet potato yield per mu for an ordinary farmer is about 1,300 kilograms. An ordinary farmer can grow two or three mu of sweet potatoes on a slope, which is enough for half a year.

The per-acre yield of the major farms of the imperial court was two thousand kilograms.

The per-acre yield of the farm's experimental field is 2,700 kilograms.

This year, the amount of dried sweet potatoes submitted by farms across the country reached 19 million kilograms.

There are also fresh sweet potatoes, the quantity is even more frightening.

Sweet potatoes can also be used to make sugar and vermicelli, and various deep processing industries have also developed.

Qin Chou smiled and said, "Adults and children all like to eat sweet potatoes, so next year we will plant more and produce more. I have done some research and found that many wealthy families feed their pigs with the leftover sweet potatoes they cannot eat."

"After eating it for two years, I don't like it anymore."

Ye Kun smiled and continued to look through the report. Suddenly he asked, "This year's grain output has increased a lot compared to last year. How is the grain price in the market now?"

"Your Majesty, you haven't been to the grain market for a long time."

Qin Chou said with a smile: "This year's grain is the cheapest, it has never been so cheap. Now it is seven cents for a dan of fine rice."

I go!

Ye Kun was surprised: "I remember that the price of grain was very high last year."

"The Grand Canal was opened, and grain from the Central Plains and Jiangnan was continuously transported here, which immediately brought down the grain price in Zhuo County."

Qin Chou now also understands economics and said:

"In recent years, the imperial court has stationed troops to open up wasteland and built many large farms. Soldiers who are not fighting are farming and raising pigs, or building roads and water conservancy projects, and grain has been harvested in succession. The old grain in the government warehouses is also being sold, so the price of grain has plummeted."

Ye Kun smiled and said, "The price of grain has dropped. Are people's lives getting better and better?"

"That may not be the case." Qin Chou paused and said with a wry smile:

"With low grain prices, people can sell grain for less money. They use the surplus grain to raise pigs and chickens. As more chickens and ducks are raised, the prices of fat pigs also go down. People now have food to eat, but it's still not easy to make some pocket money."

Qin Chou understood the simple truth that low grain prices hurt farmers.

Ye Kun frowned and said, "Can we allow the common people to grow some cash crops? Crops that can be sold for money?"

"Yes, ordinary people also plant fruit trees, raise fish and shrimp, or lotus roots and water chestnuts, but these things are not very valuable."

"Can we build more roads so that people can work and earn money nearby?"

"This requires the consent of Wu Qiong and the Ministry of Water Resources. I am from the Ministry of Agriculture and have no control over it." Qin Chou grinned.

Ye Kun scratched his head and said, "So what do you think ordinary people should do to make money?"

“Give money.”

Qin Chou thought for a minute and said seriously: "Give money to the people, and the people will have money."

"Master Qin, this is nonsense."

Ye Kun couldn't help but smile: "Wu Qiong is complaining about spending money on projects, how can he agree to just handing money to the people?"

Qin Chou spread his hands: "Then I can't think of how to make the people make money. The emperor is a hundred times smarter than me, so you can figure it out yourself."