Chapter 453 Someone has taken a fancy to our Chengmao

"How much grain do we have now?"

In the General's Mansion, Yang Zhengshan asked Zhu Yuan, the chief of the money and grain department.

"My Lord, the grain stored in the warehouse is now 2.8 million dan!" Zhu Yuan followed Yang Zhengshan and said.

As Yang Zhengshan walked towards the main hall, he continued to ask: "How much silver do we have now?"

"The silver we borrowed from the bank last month was less than 300,000 taels!" Zhu Yuan said with some embarrassment.

The General's Mansion has long been in deficit. Not only is it in deficit, but the General's Mansion has also borrowed up to 6 million taels of cash from Chongshan Bank.

"Can we continue to borrow from the bank?" Yang Zhengshan frowned.

Zhu Yuan shook his head slightly and said: "This month, we can only borrow 300,000 at most!"

Yang Zhengshan had already stipulated that the silver borrowed by the General's Mansion from the bank could not exceed 60% of the bank's savings.

That is to say, the bank's savings must reach 500,000 before the General's Mansion can borrow 300,000 from the bank.

As time goes by, the savings absorbed by Chongshan Bank are getting less and less. Last month, there were nearly one million taels, but this month there may be less than 800,000 taels. In addition, some people may take away the deposited silver, so the silver money that can be borrowed is only about 300,000 taels.

"It's still not enough!" Yang Zhengshan shook his head.

Two million eight hundred thousand shi is not much different from the three million shi he decided before, but the three million shi of grain is prepared according to one million refugees.

And this time, there are as many as tens of millions of people affected by the disaster, and the disaster is more serious. Half of the people may not survive. Even if only one-third of them move to Chongshan Town, it will exceed one million.

So three million shi of grain is only the minimum requirement. Yang Zhengshan still hopes that the more the better.

"But the grain price in Jiangnan has risen to two taels and eight thousand silver per shi, and the grain prices of the Li Sheng Dynasty and the De Sheng Dynasty have also increased a lot. If we continue to purchase, the price may be even higher!" Zhu Yuan said.

Three million shi of grain is not a small amount. Even if it is purchased from three places, it will affect the grain prices in the three places.

Jiangnan is the region with the highest grain production in Darong, but it still cannot withstand Yang Zhengshan's purchase.

"Keep collecting! Collect as much as you can, and the General's Mansion only needs to keep 100,000 taels of silver as a reserve." Yang Zhengshan said.

The General's Mansion also receives a lot of silver money every month. Today's glass workshop is a gold mine, which can provide the General's Mansion with a steady supply of silver money.

Yang Zhengshan is not afraid of running out of silver money, he is only afraid of not having enough food.

"Yes!" Seeing Yang Zhengshan's insistence, Zhu Yuan could only accept the order.

Yang Zhengshan walked into the main hall, and Pang Tang was already waiting for him in the hall.

"Master Pang!"

"Lord!"

The two sat down, and Yang Zhengshan went straight to the point and said: "Master Pang, I plan to send people to Liaoyuan and Pingyuan to recruit refugees at the end of this month!"

The drought in Liaodong has entered a very serious stage, and it is not an exaggeration to say that the land is barren for thousands of miles.

Although it is not yet the autumn harvest season, in fact, many people are already unable to continue.

The reason is very simple. The drought affects not only the harvest in the fields, but also the acquisition of other food.

Under the drought, the grass and trees withered.

At this time of year in previous years, the people could still dig wild vegetables and pick mushrooms to supplement the shortage of food.

But this year is obviously impossible.

Not to mention wild vegetables, even wild grass can't be found.

Originally, some people could still hold on until the end of September for the autumn harvest, but now they can only hold on until the end of August at most, or even in early August, they will run out of food.

In the case of food shortage, the people can only take out all their assets to exchange for food.

However, the price of grain in Liaodong is soaring now, and the price of grain has risen from the original two taels per stone to six taels per stone.

This is not that someone is driving up the price of grain, but a normal market reaction.

The officials and businessmen headed by Zhao Yunxing have not had time to drive up the price of grain, but they have been panicked by Ding Qiu and Luo Jinsong, and have no intention of driving up the price of grain again.

If they are allowed to drive up the price of grain, the price of grain may be sixteen taels, eighteen taels, or even twenty taels per stone now.

"Well, we can recruit a group of refugees first, which is just right to train the officers to do the work, so that they won't be in a hurry in the end!" Pang Tang agreed.

Accepting refugees and resettling refugees is also a troublesome thing.

This time is different from the time in Tenglongwei. At that time, Tenglongwei only accepted tens of thousands of refugees, and each hundred households and garrisons could settle them after taking them away.

With the help of the old military households, those refugees will soon be able to integrate into Tenglongwei.

And this time, Chongshan Town accepts and resettles the people to let the refugees build a new home, and the number may exceed one million.

It can be said that this is an extremely huge task, and almost all the government offices in Chongshan Town have to be mobilized.

"I think so too, and it's only July now. The first batch of refugees will have some time to adapt. The most difficult ones are the refugees after winter!" Yang Zhengshan said with some helplessness.

It's hard to leave your hometown. If it's not to the point of being at the end of one's rope, it's difficult for the people to choose to move away from their hometown.

In fact, it's best to move to Chongshan Town at this time. Before winter, they can still have some time to adapt and prepare.

But this is obviously impossible.

As long as there is a glimmer of hope to survive, the people of Liaodong will not easily move to Chongshan Town.

Yang Zhengshan estimated that this wave of migration will start in October and continue until after May next year.

"We can only prepare as much as possible!"

Pang Tang was also quite helpless. Things involving millions of people could not be changed by a few words.

All they could do was guide, not even force.

Because once forced, it might cause more chaos.

Unless it was the last resort, people could not be forced to migrate.

The two discussed the details in the hall. This time, the governor's office and the county offices of various states would be the main agencies for receiving refugees. When the refugees arrived at the resettlement site, they would be managed by the general's office and the various generals' offices.

Compared with receiving refugees, managing refugees was more difficult.

In troubled times, severe punishments should be used.

It was definitely more appropriate to use soldiers with swords and guns to manage refugees who had nothing than to let officials carry paper and pen.

After sending Pang Tang away, Yang Zhengshan went to the engineering department to inquire about the construction progress of official roads and villages.

Yang Zhengshan did not return to the Marquis' Mansion until night fell.

In the main courtyard, Yu Qingyi and Ming Zhao were already waiting for him to have dinner.

"Dad!" Ming Zhao called obediently.

"Yeah!" Yang Zhengshan responded, washed up briefly, and rubbed Mingzhao's little head.

Dinner had already been prepared. When Yu Qingyi saw Yang Zhengshan coming back, she immediately asked Qingxia and Hongyun to serve the dishes.

"In the afternoon, the manager from Ningyuan Prefecture came back and said that the farms in Ningyuan Prefecture would have no production this year!" Yu Qingyi said while serving Yang Zhengshan rice.

"What about Jing'an Prefecture?" Yang Zhengshan asked.

"The production will be reduced, but there should still be some harvest!" Yu Qingyi said.

The Yang family has many farms in Liaoyuan Province, including Jing'an Prefecture, Ningyuan Prefecture, Qinghua Prefecture, and Liao'an Prefecture.

Yang Zhengshan thought for a while and said, "Tell everyone that the rent of all the farms in Liaoyuan will be waived this year. Life is a bit difficult, but it won't make everyone unable to survive!"

Most of the farms of the Yang family are cultivated by tenants and tenants.

Tenants are slaves who sell themselves to the Yang family, and tenants are people who rent the Yang family's land.

Tenants account for the majority, and tenants are mainly responsible for managing the manor.

"What about the manor in Ningyuan Prefecture? Almost all of them have no production. Even if the rent is exempted, they will probably have a hard time surviving!" Yu Qingyi said with some pity.

Yang Zhengshan said indifferently: "Didn't Mingzhi buy a few manors in Fuzhou? Let them move to Fuzhou, and the manor in Ningyuan will be idle first, and we can recruit a group of tenants tomorrow."

A manor is just a hundred or so households. These people rent the Yang family's land all year round. It is easy for the Yang family to let them move, and they can just exempt them from rent for two years.

Compared with the millions of refugees in Liaodong, these hundreds of households are really a small matter.

The drought in Liaoyuan is a little worse than Pingyuan. The disaster situation in Liaoan Prefecture, Tenglongwei, Qinghua Prefecture and Jingan Prefecture is much lighter, and they will not be completely destroyed.

The areas with the most severe drought are actually the southwest of Liaoyuan and the central and northern parts of Pingyuan. For example, the southern part of Pingyuan and Jizhou will be much less affected.

"Okay! I'll arrange it tomorrow!" Yu Qingyi said while eating.

There are not so many rules when a couple eats together. It is normal to chat while eating. In fact, even when the Yang family eats together in the main courtyard, there are not too many rules. They are just divided into two tables for men and women.

"By the way, there is one more thing. Yunxue has sent a letter!" Yu Qingyi thought of Yunxue's letter again.

"What does the letter say?"

Yu Qingyi smiled and said, "Someone has taken a fancy to our Chengmao and went to Yunxue to find out!"

Yang Zhengshan picked up a chopstick of mutton for Mingzhao and asked in surprise, "Which family?"

Chengmao is only two years younger than Chengye. He is exactly fifteen years old this year, and it is time to put the marriage on the agenda.

Not only Chengmao, but also Wanqing. Yang Wanqing is also fourteen years old this year.

Now you can settle the marriage first and get married or get married when you are sixteen years old.

"Haichang Marquis' Mansion!" Yu Qingyi said.

"Haichang Marquis' Mansion?" Yang Zhengshan was even more surprised, "Xue Ping's sister or niece?"

Xue Ping is the youngest son of Haichang Marquis Xue Chang'an. Haichang Marquis has three legitimate sons, and Xue Ping is the youngest one. His eldest son Xue Feng is now almost 40 years old.

However, Yang Zhengshan really doesn't know whether Xue Chang'an has a daughter.

"Niece, the eldest legitimate granddaughter of Haichang Marquis' Mansion! Some time ago, Haichang Marquis' wife visited Yunxue specifically. Although she didn't say it clearly, the meaning was very clear!" Yu Qingyi said.

Yang Zhengshan nodded slightly.

Because of Xue Ping's relationship in Tenglongwei, the Yang family and Haichang Marquis' Mansion have some intersections.

Haichang Marquis Xue Chang'an has always been the commander of Jinhaiwei, and Jinhaiwei is the closest navy to Kyoto.

When Tenglongwei developed maritime trade, Haichang Marquis' Mansion also participated. They mainly operated the route from Kyoto to Tenglongwei.

And now Xue Ping is still in Tenglong Vanguard, serving as the commander-in-chief and Yu Tonghai's deputy.

The Haichang Marquis's Mansion is not outstanding in the circle of nobles. First of all, Xue Changan's actual position is not high, he is just a guard commander, and he is in Jinhai Guard.

Secondly, Haichang Marquis is only a second-class Marquis now, which means that the next generation of Haichang Marquis will become a third-class Marquis, and there will be no title in the next generation.

If the next two generations do not obtain enough military merits to be promoted to a higher title, then there will be no Haichang Marquis' Mansion in Darong in the future.

Compared with the current Yang family, the Haichang Marquis's Mansion is somewhat high-end.

Even if Yang Chengmao does not inherit the title, he is not comparable to ordinary noble children.

Don't forget that Yang Zhengshan is now a congenital warrior.

However, Yang Zhengshan was not a person who paid attention to the marriage between the two families. He thought about it and said, "Tell Mingzhi about this matter and ask him what he thinks!"

Yang Chengmao's marriage still needs to be decided by Yang Mingzhi. After all, Yang Mingzhi is Yang Chengmao's biological father, and Yang Chengmao is also Yang Mingzhi's eldest son. They can help with this matter, but it is best not to make the decision at will.

Chengmao is different from Chengye. Chengye is the heir of the Marquis's Mansion. In addition, Yang Mingcheng's temperament is a bit simple. There is no problem for Yang Zhengshan and Yu Qingyi to make the decision.

But Yang Mingzhi is a man with his own ideas. In order to avoid a gap in his heart, this matter must be passed by Yang Mingzhi.

"Okay, I will tell Li tomorrow first, and then send someone to ask Mingzhi!" Yu Qingyi agreed.