Chapter 24: Making money from food?

Xu Luo gestured to Li Shimin with great excitement, and teased him like a storyteller: "Old Li, if you sell the rice you have hidden away now, you will definitely make a lot of money!"

He winked and suggested, "If you really can't sell it, find your friends in the court and give them a friendly price. They will definitely be grinning from ear to ear!"

He paused, and asked with a smug look on his face: "Think about it, how glorious it would be if you gave out so much grain at this time of year? The court will remember your kindness, and in the future, whatever you want to do in the Tang Dynasty will be smooth sailing, right?"

Xu Luo said, waving his hands, as if he had seen the gold all over the ground: "Even if it's just for making friends, this is a good deal!"

After saying this, Xu Luo glanced at Li Shimin, only to see him standing there in a daze, as if frozen, with a stiff expression on his face.

Xu Luo smiled secretly in his heart, thinking that Old Li must be shocked by his brilliant idea.

He thought to himself that the news of the drought had not yet reached Chang'an, but the price of rice in the market had already begun to rise, changing every day. It would not be long before the disaster was fully exposed and the price of rice would probably rise to the sky.

At this time, if we can take the opportunity to stockpile rice and wait until the disaster breaks out, wouldn’t we make a fortune?

Even if he sold it to the imperial court at a lower price, Lao Li would still be popular. Although he couldn't get people to present him with banners or medals, at least he had accumulated merit.

Li Shimin learned from Xu Luo that Hedong Road had been hit by a disaster recently. The ground was dry and cracked, and the crops died. The people were having a hard time. Xu Luo also predicted that if the disaster continued, people might even eat each other.

Li Shimin felt bad. If the famine spread, the consequences would be disastrous. With Jie Li eyeing the country covetously, the Tang Dynasty would probably be plunged into dire straits. He was shocked and made a decision immediately.

"Haha, I'll do business in Chang'an from now on, and see who dares to stand in my way!" He said with a smile, and then jokingly said, "Maybe I can even get the name 'Mr. Li'."

"Sir, is this reliable?" he asked, his face showing his nervousness.

Xu Luo nodded seriously: "With our friendship, how can I lie to you? I calculated it this morning, it's a done deal!"

"Then sir, do you know where the disaster started?" Li Shimin asked again.

Xu Luo paused deliberately, glanced at him sideways, and then laughed: "Old Li, you don't trust me?
To be honest, it was the Hedong Road! The disaster was very serious, the whole place was desolate, and many people were starving and became disaster victims.

"Within a month, I'm afraid that the tragedy of cannibalism will occur!" Xu Luo's words were like a heavy hammer, hitting Li Shimin's heart.

How could Li Shimin sit still? As the emperor of the Tang Dynasty, this news was like a bolt from the blue to him.

If the disaster was true, it would be out of control. He imagined that once the disaster spread, coupled with Jie Li's attack, he would be caught in a dilemma of being attacked from both sides.

On one side were the lives and deaths of countless disaster victims, and on the other side were the covetous eyes of foreign enemies. He couldn't help but feel a tightness in his heart.

Thinking of this, Li Shimin stood up suddenly, with a gleam of determination in his eyes.

At this time, the female character Wang on the side moved lightly, her eyes full of autumn water, smiled slightly, and her lips as soft as petals opened slightly: "Your Majesty, natural disasters and man-made disasters are beyond human power to resist, but your Majesty's decisions can affect the fate of thousands of lives." As she spoke, she gently stroked her smooth neck. Her delicate skin looked even more attractive in the sun, as if silently reminding Li Shimin that as the king of a country, his every decision affected the hearts of countless people.

"Haha, sir, this is a good idea. I'll go and arrange it right away!" Li Shimin waved his hand happily.

"Yeah, who in this world doesn't like real gold and silver?" Xu Luo looked regretful, but still smiled, "If I had some money, I would definitely fight with you for this deal!"

Li Shimin just smiled and didn't say anything. He nodded and disappeared from Xu Luo's sight with Li Junxian.

The two men walked through the bustling market and met a ventriloquist on the way. He imitated the sounds of various animals so well that they were almost indistinguishable from the real thing, attracting passers-by to stop and laugh.

After returning to the palace, Li Shimin did not rest for a moment, and took Li Junxian straight to Ganlu Palace.

Just as he was about to order Li Junxian to investigate the drought, a young eunuch came hurriedly to report that Changsun Wuji wanted to see him.

"Fu Ji, you're here at the right time." As soon as Li Shimin saw Changsun Wuji, he greeted him warmly.

A trace of worry flashed in Changsun Wuji's eyes. He looked at Li Shimin and hesitated to speak, "Your Majesty, Mobei..."

Li Shimin had obviously seen through Zhangsun Wuji's thoughts. He entered the palace for two reasons: first, to get news from Mobei, and second, to find out the direction of the palace.

Li Shimin said nothing, but nodded lightly, with a hint of smile in the corner of his eyes.

"Well, there are indeed new developments in the affairs of Mobei. Just as Xu Luo said, the heavy snow in Liaodong has blocked the gate for nearly a month, and that old man Jie Li..." Li Shimin deliberately dragged out his voice, with a gleam in his eyes.

At this moment, Li Junxian on the side couldn't help but steal a glance at the palace maid next to Changsun Wuji. Her eyes were like water, her lips were like cherries, and the pearl earrings on her earlobes swayed gently, exuding an unintentional temptation.

The palace maid seemed to feel Li Junxian's gaze, the corners of her mouth rose slightly, then she quickly lowered her head, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks.

"We have to withdraw our troops!" As soon as Li Shimin finished speaking, Changsun Wuji felt his heart tighten. This was not like the joke in the story that a general was trapped in the northern desert due to heavy snow and ended up becoming a snowman, making a fool of himself. In real wars, one must not be careless.

Changsun Wuji thought to himself that if he hadn't listened to Xu Luo's prediction, the mighty army of the Tang Dynasty would have become a joke in the snow. He knew very well that if Jie Li took advantage of the situation to counterattack, the situation would be disastrous.

"Your Majesty, Xu Luo's prediction is true, and our army did not send out troops blindly. We should be thankful. But I see that Your Majesty's brows are furrowed and he looks very worried. Could there be some hidden worries?" Changsun Wuji asked curiously.

Li Shimin sighed, his brows revealing worry, and then he told Xu Luo about the drought in Hedong Road as he had described it.

After hearing this, Changsun Wuji's expression became serious, as if he was considering something extremely serious. "Your Majesty, this matter is probably of great importance."

"Oh? What do you think?" Li Shimin raised his eyebrows slightly.

"I came to court today to report two things. One is the snow in Mobei, and the other is the sharp rise in the price of rice in the city." Changsun Wuji said slowly.
"The price of rice is fluctuating abnormally, so there must be something wrong. Although the truth has not yet been uncovered, combined with what Mr. Xu said, it is probably true."
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(End of this chapter)