"Your subordinate happens to know several wealthy merchants from Jiangnan. They should have grain in stock. If you don't mind, I can help arrange a meeting," Zou Yang suggested upon hearing that Wen Mohan needed to urgently purchase grain. "However, the price will likely be quite high now."
"Money is not the issue; the key is whether we can buy grain!" Wen Mohan said gratefully. "I thought Jiangzhou had three major granaries, and they were built sturdily enough to solve the immediate crisis. I didn't expect the granaries to be affected as well. The grain I brought is running out, and the matter of procuring more is urgent..."
"I will immediately order my men to find these merchants and discuss the grain purchase," Zou Yang replied.
"In that case, thank you, Lord Zou. If you can help me overcome this ordeal, I will surely reward you handsomely. Su Cheng, escort Lord Zou..."
"General Su is the commander of the guards and must protect you and the relief silver. I have my own guards and do not need to worry. I will do my utmost to negotiate this matter as soon as possible."
"On behalf of the 200,000 people of Jiangzhou, I thank you, Lord Zou."
Zou Yang, beaming with joy, rode away on his horse. Once they were out of sight, the smile faded from Wen Mohan's face. "Have the granaries been inspected?"
"They have. It wasn't damaged by the flood, but by human hands. There were many traces of deliberate damage at the scene. As you predicted, Lord, the Jiangzhou granaries are empty. This flood has merely provided an excuse for these corrupt officials to empty them."
"I wonder about the competence of this Jiangzhou prefect. Can he procure ten thousand dan of grain?" Wen Mohan picked up his brush and began to write, stroke by careful stroke.
"My lord, do we really have to spend money to buy their grain?"
"Of course, we must buy it," Wen Mohan stated firmly. "Not only buy it, but buy it at a high price."
"But the silver we brought is also needed for rebuilding the homes of the Jiangzhou people. The grain offered by these wealthy gentry will likely be exorbitant. We may not be able to buy much grain with the silver we have."
"We will buy it at whatever price they ask. However, whether they can take this silver away is not entirely up to them." Wen Mohan looked at the figure taking shape on the paper, a smile playing on his lips. "You may go and make preparations. Once this batch of grain is secured, the corrupt and wicked officials of Jiangzhou will have nowhere to hide."
"Yes, my lord."
Wen Mohan beckoned to the young boy who had been grinding ink nearby. "Shi Shu, come and see if the benefactor who saved you that day looks like this."
Shi Shu leaned closer, looking at the lifelike portrait on the paper, and nodded rapidly. "Yes, yes, yes, it's Benefactor Xiao!"
Wen Mohan's lips curved slightly. He then tossed the paper into the stove, where it turned to ash. Shi Shu cried out in dismay, but Wen Mohan smiled; he naturally could not let his whereabouts be known.
Zou Yang rode directly to the western military camp to find Pang Tong.
Pang Tong glanced at the hastily arriving Zou Yang with a hint of disdain in his eyes. "Useless. A little bit of wind and grass can make this man tremble with fear."
"General Pang..."
"What? That fellow Wen is being difficult?" Pang Tong feigned knowing it all. "Since he's being difficult..."
"General, this young Lord Wen is much greener than his father," Zou Yang said with a smile. "He heard that the granaries were washed away by the flood and there wasn't a single grain, and he panicked. Fearing punishment from the Emperor, he's running around like a headless fly."
A flicker of doubt crossed Pang Tong's eyes. "He was very panicked?"
"Indeed! He brought a lot of silver ingots this time, but not much grain. He's been distributing relief to the people, and the grain he brought is almost gone. Now he's begging and pleading everywhere to buy grain!"
"Oh?" Pang Tong's face lit up. "If the grain he brought is insufficient, leading to the failure of the relief effort, we can eliminate him without lifting a finger."
"General!" Zou Yang disagreed. "One cannot say that. If he is dealt with, the Emperor will send another envoy. But who can guarantee that the next envoy will be as foolish as this one!"
Pang Tong thought carefully and seemed to find merit in his words. "Then what should we do?"
"Make money!" Zou Yang excitedly rubbed his hands together. "Don't we still have a batch of grain that hasn't been dealt with? The relief effort requires ten thousand dan of grain, and we happen to have exactly ten thousand dan. If we exchange this ten thousand dan of grain for the imperial envoy's one million taels of silver ingots, wouldn't that be wonderful?"
Pang Tong's eyes sparkled. "Indeed, but we cannot transact directly with him."
"Naturally. We'll have the merchants handle it and trade with Lord Wen's foolish son. By then, the money will be in our hands, the grain will be cleared out, and someone else will take the blame. Lord Wen, to protect his foolish son from trouble, will go to great lengths to cover for him. It's truly killing three birds with one stone!"
The two men exchanged a knowing smile, their faces revealing their calculating intentions. Lord Wen was a cunning old fox, yet he had produced such a foolish son. It seemed the Wen family had no heir.
Zou Yang worked with extreme speed. Within three days, he brought merchants to meet Wen Mohan. Wen Mohan inwardly sneered; this was how corrupt officials and merchants colluded to empty the Jiangzhou granaries.
"You gentlemen are truly a timely rain!" Wen Mohan stepped forward quickly. "Please, take a seat."
"Lord Wen, has something happened?" Zou Yang asked, feigning ignorance.
"I have no more grain here. If there is no more grain, the people will riot. Lord Zou, please help me," Wen Mohan's anxious expression was not feigned at all. Wei Feng silently gave a thumbs-up; his young master's acting skills were truly exquisite. If he hadn't known the truth, he would have believed it.
"Lord Wen, please rest assured. Am I not here to help you resolve your troubles?" Zou Yang said, inwardly laughing heartily as he looked at the frantic Wen Mohan, like a plump sheep waiting to be slaughtered.
"Have you managed to procure the grain?"
"These are two wealthy merchants from Jiangnan, Manager Zhu and Manager Ren." Zou Yang introduced them. "After parting ways with you that day, my lord, I immediately went to find these two managers and asked for their help in procuring grain. They have already gathered three thousand dan, which will help you alleviate your immediate crisis. The remaining seven thousand dan will also be procured by the two managers as soon as possible."
"That's wonderful! Thank you so much," Wen Mohan said gratefully. "I have no grain here now. Where is the grain?"
"It is already on its way, my lord. Please rest assured." Manager Ren rubbed his hands greedily. "The silver..."
"Manager Ren, please rest assured, silver is not a problem; grain is the problem!"
"My lord, please rest assured, the grain will arrive soon."
As expected, escorts soon arrived with three thousand dan of grain, alleviating Wen Mohan's immediate crisis. Wen Mohan was generous and paid promptly for the three thousand dan of grain. Zou Yang left with a beaming smile.