Chapter 375 Twenty-five cents per pound of grain

They knew very well how Tuyuhun was destroyed. It was all given by the Tang Dynasty, so they could never allow such a thing to happen in Tubo land.

"Your Highness Taisun, this is our Tubo dance..."

Some of the ministers below saw it very clearly. They had to change the topic. If these two people were allowed to continue chatting, if there was any dispute here, the relationship between the two countries might not be easy to handle. Li Xiang is not an ordinary Tang emperor.

Li Xiang also picked up the wine glass with a smile, then clinked glasses with the Tubo officials next to him, and even went under the high platform to have a drink with these people one by one. At least this approachable attitude made the nobles present very satisfied. On the other hand, Li Xiang Over at Dongzan, this guy still has the same face.

Many old nobles are not satisfied with this person. How on earth do you receive distinguished guests? Don’t you know what’s going on in China right now? You still have the nerve to say that you are the wisest man in Tibet. Is this the reception method that your stupid brain came up with? If we make people in the Tang Dynasty unhappy, it will still be a matter of whether we can live in the future. Even drinking will cause you so much trouble.

Songtsan Gampo stood far away and did not hear clearly what the two people were talking about, but Songtsan Gampo also felt that Lu Dongtsen was a bit too much. People who do great things must keep their emotions and angers hidden. You are now in What to do? Li Xiang's face has not changed, he has always been smiling. As the prime minister of our Tubo, you have always had a sad face. In this case, you have embarrassed our Tubo.

When Li Xiang came back again, Li Xiang had already drank with everyone around him. The Tubo people also admired the real people very much, especially the real people who drank a lot. When Li Xiang was drinking with them just now, these people I admire Li Xiang’s drinking capacity. Very few people in this circle can walk away, but Li Xiang didn’t do anything after drinking. These people also gave a thumbs up in their hearts, if it weren’t for this kind of dinner. , many of them wanted to have a good drink with Li Xiang, especially some generals.

"Your Highness, please."

After about ten minutes, Lu Dongzan calmed down his mentality. When he picked up the wine glass, he already had a smile on his face. Li Xiang didn't care about what happened just now. He still had the same smile. This made him smile. Everyone praised Li Xiang again, saying that he was broad-minded, but when someone said these four words, Lu Dongzan happened to hear him. Could it be that I am a narrow-minded person?

"Your Majesty, Prime Minister, please also come."

When Li Xiang was drinking, his eyes glanced at the food on the table intentionally or unintentionally. Although they tried their best to hide it, except for a large amount of meat, there was not much food here. You must know that at official banquets, food There are very few dishes prepared, but it cannot be said that there are none. Now many things have been cut off, and one can imagine what the situation in Tubo is like.

"Since His Highness just talked about food, we don't want to see each other more. Why don't we take this opportunity tonight to talk about everything that needs to be discussed?"

Lu Dongzan said somewhat unhappily. Li Xiang's behavior of observing the dinner table just now did not escape his eyes. If we talk about his observation skills, Lu Dongzan definitely refused to admit defeat.

"No problem at all. I will be responsible for transporting the grain to Tuyuhun, and you will be responsible for transporting the grain back from Tuyuhun. The price will be set at twenty-five cents per catty."

When Li Xiang said this, Lu Dongzan finally couldn't hold it in anymore, and the wine in his mouth spurted out. Taking the current price of grain in Tubo as an example, the most expensive one is only three or four cents a pound. , you directly increased the price eight times. Do you think all your food is gold?

"Are you kidding, Your Highness? You Han people have a longer history, and we Tibetans have a shorter history, but no matter whether it is long or short, I'm afraid the price of food has never reached this price."

Lu Dongzan said very angrily, "You clearly think of us as fools. The price of grain in Chang'an City can buy two catties for one penny, but here it becomes twenty-five cents per catty. Your price is enough." It has increased by fifty times. Even if the freight between the two places is included, it is at least more than thirty times.

"Prime Minister, don't worry. Food has always been a hard currency. Whether it is in peacetime or in times of war, food naturally has its value. It is even more valuable than the gold and silver in our hands, because food can be eaten at critical times. But these gold and silver cannot be eaten. At the end of the Sui Dynasty, our food supply reached more than 100 yuan per catty in some areas. As long as we could buy food at that time, no one would look at the price. I think you That time has now come.”

In the prosperous times, the price of food must have been very low, because people all over the country were farming. Even if there were some natural disasters, the Tang Dynasty was relatively large, and many places could still produce a lot of food.

But if in a turbulent era, wars are going on all over the country, only about 30 to 40% of the people growing food will be able to supply the national expenditure, and then the price of food will go up. Yes, although the price Li Xiang is offering now is a bit outrageous, it is far from the price during the war years.

"Then our cooperation can only go so far. I don't want to buy such grain from you. Even if other businessmen want to make money from me, I think they are already crazy for about fifteen cents. They are all shipped to me, and don’t think that your border is like iron. In fact, there are loopholes everywhere.”

Lu Dongzan said very arrogantly that according to his original plan, the price of grain could be raised to eight cents per catty, so that many businessmen would come over desperately. Even if Li Xiang blocked the border, other places would not The grain can be transported in, but the price is a little more expensive. In any case, it is impossible to pay Li Xiang's price, which is only twenty-five cents, so you might as well go and get it.

"It doesn't matter. Business cannot be done without righteousness. I will stay here for the next few days. The Prime Minister might as well contact them quickly. But I have said it again. If the Prime Minister comes to see me next time, the price will be reached. It’s 40 cents. If I return to Tuyuhun, the price will be 60 cents. The Prime Minister understands in his heart.”

Li Xiang's words shocked Lu Dongzan...