Father can be an enemy to the country

At the end of the month, Suzhou Prefectural Government Prison Temple.

It’s time again for the monthly announcement of rankings. Zhu He, his brother Zhu She, and son Zhu Chang held a summary meeting in the interview room as usual.

How's it going, Dad?

Brother, where are we ranked this time? Zhu Chang Zhu She asked as soon as he sat down.

The ranking this time is good. Zhu He said with a smile on his face, and handed the Quantitative Evaluation Form of Converting Merit to Crime that was newly issued last night to the two of them.

Zhu Chang Zhu She took it and looked at it, and said in surprise: Thirty-six? Five more points than last month!

Yes. Zhu He nodded, but felt a little annoyed...

What he regrets most now is that he was too self-conscious and wanted to explain the secrets he learned about the pirates when he could exchange them for higher points. As a result, before His Highness could issue the mission, the pirates over there burped first. In the end, the secret was useless, and I didn’t get a single point. Otherwise, I might have been in the top thirty by now.

Of course, he would not say this to the two of them, so as not to affect his wise image in their hearts.

Then he sighed with praise: It's really not easy to catch up from the initial sixty-two to the current ranking.

That's right. Zhu She said with a pained look on his face: Everyone is working hard. Every time you advance to a higher position, you have to spend more money than others!

Yes, Dad, half of our family's wealth has been destroyed. We have a lot of food stamps in our hands. I don't know if they will become waste paper in the future. Zhu Chang said worriedly:

Now many people are saying that once the one-year period is over, the food stamps will be useless. Everyone must cash out all the food stamps. How can the government have so much food to pay us? We will definitely default on the debt.

That's right, brother. There are also people like Zhu Ping. Normally His Highness, En Tong Zai, should fully support food stamps. However, they received food stamps from the Weaving and Dyeing Bureau and gave them all to workers as wages. They also used them to buy food from our family. When I buy silk, I don’t have many in my hand. Isn’t this just because I’m worried that the food stamps will be worthless?”

They didn't want food stamps so they sold them to us, and we haven't even entered the top thirty yet! Zhu He did not forget his original intention and said: It doesn't matter if all the money at home is exchanged for food stamps!

Ah, brother, if the food stamps turn into waste paper, won't we be bankrupt? Zhu She said speechlessly: What is the difference between that and having all the family property confiscated?

That's right, Dad, even if we don't invest a penny now, we won't fall outside the top 100. Zhu Chang also echoed: We are fighting for the ranking now to keep our family property. If we spend all our property, we can only squeeze into the top three. Ranking ten, what’s the difference between being ranked tenth and ranking one hundred?”

Both uncle and nephew felt that Zhu He was brainwashed by the ranking and became obsessed.

What do you know? Food stamps will never become waste paper! Zhu He said confidently.

Why?

Because His Royal Highness the King of Chu has been sealed in Suzhou, and he has been taking root here for generations, how could he ruin his reputation and damage his brand as soon as he came up?! Zhu He said firmly: Then he will go there How can we still hang out in the future?”

Having said that, he must have that ability. The uncle and nephew were not convinced: I heard that this year, the Weaving and Dyeing Bureau released tens of millions of kilograms of food stamps, let alone Suzhou's preparations. Even if all the grain from the south of the Yangtze River is shipped to the warehouse, it won’t be enough to pay for it.”

Idiot, who said that food stamps must be exchanged for food? Zhu He said lightly: Will you refuse the silk if I give it to you?

... The uncle and nephew thought for a moment, and Zhu Chang suddenly said: Dad, what you mean is that His Royal Highness the King of Chu will first use food stamps to buy the silk we produce, and then finally use silk to exchange the food stamps in our hands back?

Hey. Zhu She couldn't help but exclaimed: You really have a way.

After thinking about it, he asked again: But brother, although silk is a good thing, it will become worthless if kept for a long time. Why do we need so much silk?

Idiot! Zhu He was speechless and said to his stupid brother: Fang Datong and Chen Shanghai have both surrendered, and the chief military officer of Japan has also been replaced by Nan'an Hou. Now the maritime affairs are dominated by the Shishi Shipping Company, and the interrupted maritime Now that trade has resumed, will silk still be unsaleable?”

That shouldn't happen. Zhu Chang Zhu She shook his head, and the former said: However, everything is still business as usual in the market. Haven't you seen the price of silk increase?

By the time you find something abnormal, the day lily will be cold. Zhu He was even more speechless about his equally stupid son, and even doubted whether he was his biological son:

Right now, firstly, because the trade routes of the City Shipping Department have not been completely opened up yet, the officials are keeping a low profile. However, no one at sea can challenge His Highness. The trade routes will be opened up sooner or later.

Secondly, the Weaving and Dyeing Bureau purchased a huge amount of silk, and the Shipping Department did not have to go to the market to purchase, so the price did not fluctuate. Zhu He waved his hand and made a prediction:

Let me put it here. On the day when the municipal fleet returns safely, the government will definitely publicize it with great fanfare! By then, the price of silk will definitely double!

Then we should be stocking silk. Why do we need to save food stamps? Zhu Chang asked in confusion.

... Now even his uncle had a sense of intellectual superiority. The ranking!

Oh, why did I forget this? Zhu Chang said sarcastically.

Not just for ranking, but also for buying silk. Zhu He said solemnly: Don't forget, the surname of the shipping department is Zhu, and the surname of the weaving and dyeing bureau is also Zhu. The rich water will not flow to outsiders. The silk you own, What should I do if the shipping company refuses to accept it?

It's really... The uncle and nephew were completely convinced. They knew the conduct of the government so well that it was not surprising at all to do such a thing.

Just go ahead and do what I said! At the end of the meeting, Zhu He finally encouraged the two of them:

I now have strong confidence that instead of losing money this time, we will make a lot of money!

Yes. The two responded. They are stupid, but the biggest advantage is that they are obedient.

~~

After the rankings were announced that day, the minds of the contestants from behind bars gradually became divided.

Some large households who thought their rankings were stable began to reduce their family investment and gradually canceled food stamp discounts. No one's money comes from the strong wind. As long as it does not affect the outcome of the punishment, of course it can be saved as much as possible.

But there are also optimists like Zhu He who, instead of tightening money, ask their families to increase discounts in order to receive more food stamps. They even bought it directly with real money from those who thought there were too many food stamps.

Just like this, on the seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, the wealthy people who were drinking tea, playing chess, horses and killing chickens in their cells suddenly received an invitation from His Highness the King of Chu.

Laba Banquet? All the wealthy people immediately looked at each other. The scene of drinking Laba porridge at Jinshan Temple last year vividly appeared before their eyes.

It's only been a year? The wealthy people lamented: Why does it feel like more than half a lifetime has passed?

How much suffering have they suffered this year, and how much fear have they endured? I have been in jail for more than nine months, how can I not feel that every day seems like a year?

Oh, it would be great if I had agreed to His Highness at Jinshan Temple. Someone sighed.

Yes, but who would dare to agree to that situation at that time? Do you want to risk your life? The other person smiled bitterly and said: Of course, if I could have expected that His Highness would settle everything in just one year, I would have agreed even if I risked my life. of.

Who would have thought? Everyone sighed and speculated what kind of program His Highness would arrange for them at the Laba Banquet tomorrow?