Chapter Seven, the ruthless Zhu Chongba

Master Zhu, do you keep your word

Faced with Zhu Chongba's questioning, the people of Haozhou quickly assessed the situation.

The few individuals all looked at the grain merchant with the surname Jiang, thinking to themselves that he was the most confident, with connections everywhere, and they urged him to speak on behalf of everyone!

Zhu Chongba was afraid that he would hurt himself, so he provided Mu Ying with a wooden sword, which the young man became very attached to, even holding it while sleeping. With his character, the hope of becoming the top scholar is rather slim

Dear fellow villagers, we understand that everyone is afraid and worried about not having enough to eat. We also know that the experience of hunger is unpleasant. From childhood to adulthood, we have rarely had a full meal.

They hurried to the street corner, where many citizens from all directions had gathered, surrounding the center in layers.

"I, an old man, do not share the same intentions as Yuan Ting, so how could I assist them?" The grain merchant with the surname Jiang pondered for a moment and understood Zhu Chongba's meaning. "I understand now. With the great battle approaching and the need for provisions, I am willing to donate 500 stones to General Guo as military supplies. I kindly ask Young Master Zhu to convey this to the General."

There is no way, I can only go out with a tail.

Having gained the support of the common people, Zhu Chongba felt an additional surge of confidence. He turned to look at the Jiang family grain merchant and the other four grain merchants. The expressions on their faces changed repeatedly.

Without even mentioning the matter of war, food is essential; having two meals a day means that missing just one meal can leave one feeling extremely hungry

Hahaha! The grain merchant with the surname Jiang suddenly burst into laughter, "I am not a three-year-old child! Zhu Chongba, I know what you are! You are just a little monk from Huangjue Temple! Suddenly climbing to a high branch, forgetting yourself, and daring to bully me! I tell you, someone has already gone to see the general. I lent General Guo one hundred carts of grain back in the day; we have a bond of life and death, and you cannot take it away!"

We are considering that every household buys grain once every five days, with a maximum of ten jin at a time. Perhaps this is a bit insufficient, but given the current situation, we cannot indulge ourselves and must economize. However, everyone can rest assured that all grain will be sold at a fair price, and there will be no exploitation of the villagers

The grain merchant with the surname Jiang gritted his teeth and said: "You are being too unreasonable; I cannot agree to this!"

Since the news of the court dispatching Jia Lu to attack Haozhou spread, the city has been in a state of panic, with grain prices fluctuating three times a day. After Lu Anmin's arrival, the increase was most severe, leading to widespread complaints among the common people

In the midst of the conversation, Zhu Chongba suddenly swung his knife, and a gray-haired head fell to the ground... Zhang Ximeng in the crowd was so frightened that he hurriedly closed his eyes and instinctively covered Mu Ying's eyes.

Confronted by Zhu Chongba, those with the surname Jiang were not afraid of him. On the contrary, the old man gritted his teeth and suddenly sneered, "I know who you are! You are none other than General Guo's adopted son-in-law, right? A few months ago, you got married, and I even attended the wedding banquet!"

Zhu Chongba asked again, "Controlling grain is a military order!"

Master Zhu, do not be too greedy

Old Zhu stood higher, and Zhang Ximeng was finally able to see him. However, as more and more people gathered, Zhu Chongba could no longer see Zhang Ximeng. This matter could only be handled by him alone

Old Zhu's intentions were understood by all; this fellow aimed to seize their grain business, and he intended to take them all down at once

The crowd fell into a brief silence, which was soon followed by a thunderous applause, with cheers rising one after another. The unscrupulous merchants deserve to die! ... At that moment, Guo Zixing and his son Guo Tianxu arrived, and all they saw was a corpse, three feet in bright red.

After Zhu Chongba finished speaking, the surrounding common people began to silently calculate

The grain merchant with the surname Jiang is also puzzled; what kind of variety is this, after all

Military orders? I am not a person of the military...

It has been proven that Zhang Ximeng's premonition was indeed flawed, for it was not merely a matter of someone being unfortunate, but rather that someone lost their head, leading to the destruction of their family and the loss of their life

Alright, we will listen to Master Zhu

Upon being questioned by Zhu Chongba, the grain merchant of the Jiang surname was momentarily taken aback. He could distinctly feel the unfriendly gazes directed at him from all directions

Are you saying that you are definitely unwilling to cooperate

Zhu Chongba spent the entire night at the commander's residence, discussing strategies to deal with the officials and soldiers

We will not ask you about these matters; let us speak of one thing only. In the face of a great enemy, you hoard supplies and inflate grain prices, causing panic among the people in the city. Are you perhaps intending to hand over Haozhou to the Yuan invaders?

The little fellow's face was as red as an apple, as he barged in from outside. Zhang Ximeng couldn't help but shake his head, saying, "You little rascal, can't you be a bit more composed? Spend more time reading when you have the chance, and stop running around all day."

Zhu Chongba wore a stern expression; at that time, he was still an unknown figure. Naturally, the guests came out of respect for Guo Zixing and his wife, and there were quite a few of them. Whether this particular guest was among them, he was not sure, and Zhu Chongba could not be bothered to care.

Faced with the questioning, the grain merchant with the surname Jiang changed his expression slightly, yet remained unafraid, "Young Master Zhu, I am a businessman, buying low and selling high, this is how I earn my money. I do not evade taxes. If you do not believe me, you can ask General Guo, or ask Young General Guo!"

Zhu Chongba's words elicited a burst of laughter, and the gaze of the common people towards him softened considerably. Clearly, he is someone who understands the hardships of the populace

At this moment, Zhu Chongba and Tang He were escorting several grain merchants to the street corner, where soldiers of the Red Turban Army had borrowed chairs from a teahouse to set up a temporary platform. Zhu Chongba was the first to ascend the platform.

On the morning of the second day, Zhang Ximeng held a copy of "Mencius" and studied it patiently. At that moment, Mu Ying rushed in.

There is no need for unnecessary talk... Let me ask you, why is it that there is clearly food available, yet you are unwilling to sell it? Furthermore, you have raised the price threefold in just one day; how can the common people survive?

He mentioned the young monk from Huangjue Temple, and Zhu Chongba raised his eyebrows several times, ultimately managing to suppress it

Most importantly, this grain is reasonably priced. At this critical juncture, can we still hope for more?

Zhu Chongba coldly smiled and said, "We will not beat around the bush with you any longer. From now on, every granary must report how much grain it has in stock and how much it sells each day, and this will be under our management!"

This ginger merchant gritted his teeth and said, "Young Master Zhu, are you trying to take away all of my family's assets?"

Then, what about eight hundred stones? One thousand stones would also be acceptable

What should be done

At the head of the grain merchants stands an elderly man, over fifty years old, with a white beard and dressed in satin, clearly a respectable and wealthy individual. Many common people recognize him; his surname is Jiang, and he is a renowned grain merchant in Haozhou, with substantial wealth that is quite extraordinary

This person repeatedly uses Guo Zixing to pressure Zhu Chongba, and he speaks with utmost sincerity, seemingly having a genuine connection with Guo Zixing. Meanwhile, Tang He frequently gives Zhu Chongba signals, yet Zhu Chongba remains steadfast and unmoved.

On average, for a household of four, each person consumes half a jin of grain per day

Unfortunately, Mu Ying cannot fulfill Zhang Ximeng's wish. Although he understands the importance of reading and literacy, he simply cannot sit still. Instead, it is his adoptive father's weapons that captivate this young man, as he constantly fumbles and drools over them.

Zhang Ximeng was surrounded by the crowd, only able to see the back of the head of the person in front, feeling anxious and helpless

"No!" Zhu Chongba declared resolutely, "This is merely a temporary loan. Once the Yuan invaders retreat, the granary will be returned to you, and the grain will be replenished for you."

What are you making a fuss about? Beheading, are you not afraid?

Historically, the failure to defend a city has often been due to insufficient food supplies, leading to starvation among the populace

However, it can be said that with half a jin of grain, one will not starve to death, and moreover, with both the elderly and the young in a family, it can be distributed evenly.

You grain merchants, making such a big fuss, is it not just to get us to provide some grain? Fine, I shall give it to you!

Zhu Chongba spoke loudly: "In the face of a great enemy, the military and civilians in the city are all one family. Even if there is only a grain of rice, it must be shared! No one can be allowed to starve! However, the soldiers must fight and risk their lives. An empty stomach cannot drive away the Yuan invaders. Fellow villagers, think about it, if the Yuan soldiers break into the city of Haozhou, what will happen? At that time, men, women, and children will either be killed or robbed and insulted, reduced to slaves and livestock. Is that what everyone wants?"

Master Zhu, you must defend Haozhou and not let the Yuan dogs break in

Once every five days, ten catties at a time, which means that there are two catties of grain available each day

Someone boldly asked.

Jiang, the grain merchant, was still speaking when Zhu Chongba suddenly drew his saber and declared, "Military orders must be obeyed by the entire city, with no exceptions! To defy military orders leads to only one outcome, and that is death!"

I also want to go! Mu Yingcai is unwilling to stay cooped up at home!

Five hundred stones cannot be considered a small amount, yet Zhu Chongba shook his head

Zhang Ximeng was momentarily taken aback, wondering if Old Zhu was really that fierce. After a pause, he said to Mu Ying: "You little child, stay at home for now, I will go take a look"

Zhu Chongba continued to shake his head

Zhang Ximeng wanted to intimidate Mu Ying, but he was mistaken. Although Mu Ying is young, the bloodshed he has witnessed is likely greater than that of Zhang Ximeng.

Zhu Chongba finished speaking, turned around to look at all the common people, and gave a salute to everyone.

"Brother Zhang, Brother Zhang!" Mu Ying exclaimed excitedly, "Father has captured several grain merchants and tied them up in the street. I heard they are going to be beheaded!"

If it coincides with the busy farming season, working all day long, half a jin of grain cannot satisfy a strong laborer. There is no way around it; in an era where supplementary food and fats are severely lacking, everyone is a hearty eater, and they can truly consume a lot

Even considering the favor of the great leader, you should show some mercy and grant a way out