GBP Chapter 771 The Last Day
Chapter 771 The Last Day
On this day, Shuntian Prefecture was particularly bustling, with a constant stream of horse-drawn carts transporting grain.
Eighty thousand shi of grain was no small amount, and the transportation work was not nearing completion until nightfall, thanks to the help of the four major families.
After all, they wanted the food immediately.
The name Jia Zhenzhen became famous again, and even Fan Li had to pay attention to it.
A merchant who owns 120,000 shi of grain should not be ignored.
Fan Li was even worried that Jia Zhenzhen could produce more grain, and he was prepared to use coercion and bribery.
Fortunately, Jia Zhenzhen did not continue to open the granary to sell grain the next day; in fact, she did not take any action for five consecutive days.
For a wealthy merchant, hundreds of thousands of taels of silver are enough to live on for a lifetime. Even if he has surplus grain, he should not challenge Fan Li's authority.
As the agreed-upon date drew to a close, Fan Li launched another attack on Bai Tiantian in the imperial court.
"Your Majesty, to date, I have only received five thousand shi of tax grain." Fan Li held his tablet, not forgetting to give Bai Tiantian a provocative look.
Five thousand shi of grain is a lot, but compared with the total tax grain of the entire Shuntian Prefecture, it is just a drop in the ocean.
With only one day left until the agreed time, Fan Li's victory was practically assured, so he wanted to embarrass Bai Tiantian in advance.
"Lord Fan, tomorrow is the agreed deadline, so please don't be anxious," Bai Tiantian replied coldly, her aura showing no weakness whatsoever.
"Does General Bai perhaps believe there will be a turning point tomorrow?" Bai Tiantian asked dismissively.
Even if things take a turn for the better tomorrow, he is prepared to do everything in his power to clean up the mess.
The four major families are not to be trifled with; they are fully capable of blocking the entire market in Shuntian Prefecture for a whole day.
"We'll see tomorrow," Bai Tiantian said coldly.
"Alright, alright, we'll discuss this again tomorrow." Seeing the two arguing loudly, the emperor was somewhat annoyed.
Ultimately, he still hoped that Bai Tiantian could win, since it concerned the military strength of the Daye Dynasty.
However, judging from the results, Bai Tiantian is likely to suffer a complete defeat.
After the court session ended, Fan Li was furious, his beard bristling and eyes wide. "Bai Tiantian, let's see how long you can keep up your arrogance. After tomorrow, your military power will be greatly reduced."
"Grand Secretary Fan is wise!" several people nearby flattered.
They belong to the Third Prince's camp along with Fan Li, while Bai Tiantian belongs to the Second Prince's camp.
The contest between these two was equivalent to a contest between two princes.
If Bai Tiantian fails, the Second Prince will be like someone who has lost an arm, and will no longer be able to compete with the Third Prince.
They will all benefit once the third prince ascends the throne.
"Immediately give the order: no matter who sells grain tomorrow, the four major metal families must consume it," Fan Li commanded.
The four major families are not just for show; they possess countless riches. Even though they spent over 100,000 taels of silver a few days ago, it did not affect their ability to continue stockpiling grain.
At worst, they can borrow money from banks and sell the grain at a higher price once the storm passes.
Not only can they make a fortune, but they can also make Bai Tiantian lose everything.
Imagine that when the tax reform was implemented, no one could pay the tax, but after the reform was abolished, a large amount of grain immediately appeared on the market.
This was undoubtedly a slap in the face to Bai Tiantian, and even through the thick armor, it hurt.
"General, there's no time. Why don't I send troops to rob all those major grain merchants?" A staff member beside him said anxiously.
He was well aware of the seriousness of the matter, and his tone suggested that instead of waiting to be killed, it would be better to use forceful measures.
The reaction was that they had soldiers at their disposal, and robbing a few wealthy merchants would be a piece of cake.
Obtaining food is the only priority; no law matters.
"Nonsense! Are you trying to disregard the law and give Fan Li the opportunity to impeach me?" Bai Tiantian rebuked angrily.
Even if he had a better way, he shouldn't have led his troops to openly rob grain.
What difference is there between them and bandits and robbers? They might even be labeled as traitors.
At that point, it won't just be a matter of weakening military power; Bai Tiantian could very well be arrested and imprisoned.
"This won't work, that won't work, we can't just sit here and wait to die." The man next to him stamped his feet anxiously. "Then your Black Iron Guards will have to go to the fields to farm."
Black Iron Guard is Bai Tiantian's trump card; half of the credit for her achievements today belongs to Black Iron Guard.
Training this invincible army took Bai Tiantian a tremendous amount of effort. If she were to let them work in the fields, it would be like cutting vegetables with a military knife.
Even a military knife that doesn't get blood on it will rust over time.
"They should have gone back to farming long ago, so they wouldn't become so arrogant," Bai Tiantian said irritably.
Once upon a time, the Black Iron Guards were Bai Tiantian's pride, an invincible sword, and an undefeated legend.
It wasn't until he met Lin Ping that he realized the Black Iron Guard was a joke.
Even the bravest warriors, chosen from among hundreds, could not break through the defenses of ordinary soldiers and suffered heavy losses.
This was not only due to Lin Ping's masterful command of his troops, but also a consequence of the Black Iron Guards' arrogance.
It's a good thing to let them experience some setbacks.
Of course, going to the fields to farm is a bit of an exaggeration.
The staff sensed Bai Tiantian's anger and dared not say anything, only hoping for a miracle.
Bai Tiantian did not go to Lin Ping, which clearly indicated that she had received some kind of hint.
Inside the department store, Lin Ping was focused on his inventions. He was planning to seize the opportunity to pull off a major heist and take control of the economic lifeline of the entire Shuntian Prefecture and even the Daye Dynasty.
"Brother Lin, won't what we're doing harm the interests of the Wu Kingdom?" Zhu Xiaoji suddenly asked.
He knew Lin Ping's plan and that a large amount of grain would flood into the Shuntian Prefecture market.
Earning more money is certainly a good thing, but if it becomes the military rations of the Daye Dynasty, it will inevitably increase the army's combat power, which is clearly pushing the Wu Kingdom into a fire pit.
"If you were a hungry wolf and there was a fat sheep in front of you, what would you do?" Lin Ping asked rhetorically.
"Of course, we'll pounce on the fat sheep and devour it," Zhu Xiaoji replied without hesitation.
"What if this fat sheep offers itself a rabbit?" Lin Ping continued to ask.
After thinking for a long time, Zhu Xiaoji replied seriously, "We should eat the rabbit first, since catching a fat sheep requires a lot of effort."
“This hungry wolf represents the current Daye Dynasty, the fat sheep represents the Wu Kingdom, and the rabbit represents the food,” Lin Ping explained. “Even without the rabbit to replenish its strength, the hungry wolf can still eat the fat sheep, and might even be the first to eat it. This rabbit is there to buy time for the fat sheep.”
Zhu Xiaoji nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.
"Although the Daye Dynasty is short of food, it has not yet reached the point where it affects the army's combat effectiveness. If we send food, it will not worsen the situation of the Wu Kingdom. On the contrary, if we do not send food, the Daye Dynasty may attack the Wu Kingdom in order to seize the food."
"Moreover, this grain will not only allow us to establish a firm foothold in the Daye Dynasty, but it will also make Bai Tiantian owe me a favor. If we want the Wu Kingdom to be spared from war, Bai Tiantian is the key figure."
Lin Ping analyzed the current situation in detail.