These two servants were just chatting, but in fact they didn't take this matter too seriously.

However, seeing the head of the family coming to ask, the two servants who were discussing privately quickly lowered their heads.

"Yes, Langjun, Xiangping's grain prices have risen."

They quickly replied.

"How much has it increased?"

Liu Yi was a little anxious.

"It's more than 10%, almost 20%.

"Quick 20%?"

Liu Yi felt something was wrong.

The grain prices in Liaodong have been very stable over the years. Under Guo Peng's rule, the Central Plains have also survived several natural disasters without any danger. The grain output has not decreased, so the grain prices in Liaodong will naturally not fluctuate.

And now it is suddenly rising. Could it be that there is a natural disaster in the Central Plains?

Flood, drought, locust plague?

Liu Yi was very worried and immediately found the housekeeper who managed the procurement at home to ask about this matter.

After careful inquiry, Liu Yi learned that the food prices in Xiangping City were indeed rising recently, and it had risen by almost 20%. However, the butler felt that these increases were not a big deal, so he didn't care.

"Isn't it much higher than 20%?"

Liu Yi was very angry: "Then do you think the increase is more than twice?"

"No, Mr. Lang, in recent years, our family's income and expenditure have been quite abundant. Not to mention our family, even the farmers who use medicinal materials outside have a lot of money. This increase is really nothing, and no one has talked about it."

The housekeeper said with a nervous look on his face.

"It's okay if no one talks about it. Food is the root of it, so how can you not care? It's inexplicably increased by 20%. Have famines and disasters occurred in the Central Plains?"

"I haven't heard of that."

The butler shook his head.

Liu Yi felt something was wrong, so he spoke, "Go out and investigate this matter immediately. How can the price of grain rise for no reason? Come back and tell me if you find out."

"yes."

The housekeeper had no choice but to go out and ask around to find out what was going on.

After a few days of inquiring, the housekeeper found out some exact news that there was a grain shop in Xiangping City that was closed.

The reason why this shop closed was that an elderly man died in the grain merchant behind the shop. He had to go back to his home to handle the funeral, and planned to return to the Central Plains to take care of his remaining elders and family members, and did not want to continue doing business in Liaodong.

Seven days ago, the grain merchant took a boat to return to Qingzhou.

It is said that other grain merchants will take over the grain merchant, so people don’t feel worried and live as usual.

Liu Yi thought about it and felt that this matter might be because he was overthinking. People have birth, old age, sickness and death. This matter cannot be predicted. If it really happens, there is no way to do so.

So he felt a little relieved and didn't care too much.

In mid-July, the Wei Empire suddenly came to envoy and said that he would read the order of Emperor Wei. Emperor Wei appointed Gongsun Du as the Marquis of Yan, the governor of Pingzhou, with a fief of 3,000 households and a rank of General of Cavalry.

The implication is that I hope Gongsun Du surrenders to the Wei Empire and accepts the title of the Wei Empire, so that he will no longer be stubborn.

The previous reward was awarded in the name of Emperor Han. Later, there was another reward in the name of the Wei Empire that was ignored by Gongsun Du. This time, Guo Peng came to reward again.

When Gongsun Du was ill, he laughed when he learned about this, and even his condition was relieved a lot.

"Guo Zifeng is still afraid of the military power of my Liaodong army and wants to be kind to me. Humph, I have already achieved this in Liaodong. Is it still a Yanhou left him?"

Gongsun Du talked and laughed in front of the ministers who came to visit him, trying his best to mock Guo Peng's weakness and his weakness after annexing Jingzhou Yizhou in one breath.

Then, Gongsun Du thought for a while and put forward a bold idea.

"I am in Liaodong, and I want to be the king, so I don't care about him, the Marquis of Yan. Now that Guo Zifeng has become the emperor, he will give me a King of Yan and allow me to enfeoff the country. In this way, I am worthy of my identity!

As for what he gave me now, Han has given me. I already have it. Do I still need to change the ranks? I won’t accept this reward unless Guo Zifeng is named King Yan, maybe I can consider it.”

Gongsun Du laughed out loud and then asked someone to drive the Wei envoy away.

Guo Peng showed a clear intention to win over Gongsun Du, which also exposed his sense of powerlessness after his martial arts in Jingzhou and Yizhou.

Therefore, Gongsun Du and a group of Liaodong civil and military officials felt that Guo Peng would not attack Liaodong in a short period of time.

Despite this, Liu Yi was still a little worried.

"Why don't you just accept the appointment? In this way, Liaodong will be completely safe, and Guo Zifeng will have no excuse to attack Liaodong. Guo Zifeng ascended the throne through the King of Wei. Now that Junhou wants to be the King of Yan, I will probably make Guo Zifeng unhappy."

"So what if he is unhappy?"

Gongsun Du curled his lips: "He did it himself, but he won't let anyone tell me? He is clearly a thief! He is despicable and shameless and arrogant, and he will be the emperor. Forget it, he will even whitewash himself in the end?

Humph! It doesn’t matter whether he is the King of Yan or not, I just want to embarrass him! Let’s see how he responds to me! If he is angry, it’s better to send troops to attack me directly. I want to see if he can attack me!"

Gongsun Du believed that he had seen through Guo Peng's current weakness and felt that if he didn't take this opportunity to gain some benefits, it would be difficult to get benefits in the future.

At this time, if you don’t get what you want, and then wait for Guo Peng to recover and have time to deal with Liaodong, it will be a bad idea.

This is taking advantage of the situation.

Although Liu Yi felt that it was inappropriate, he also felt that what Gongsun Du said made sense. He didn't know what to say to dissuade Gongsun Du, so he let it go.

It was time for Liu Zhang to arrive in Luoyang and officially surrender to Guo Peng.

At a very special opportunity, Liu Yi suddenly asked the butler about the recent grain prices in Xiangping City. He was surprised to learn that the grain prices have been rising all the way, from less than 20% before to more than 30% now, and there is still an upward trend.

"Thirty percent?"

Liu Yi was surprised: "What's going on? Why is the grain price still rising so much?"

"It seems that somewhere in the Central Plains caused the plague. Several Central Plains merchants' hometowns were affected by disasters. They were unable to continue doing business in Liaodong and went back, so the food prices rose a little again."

"What's going on? Why didn't such a thing happen before? Is there now?"

Liu Yi felt very angry and surprised, and immediately asked the butler to investigate the matter again.

After returning from the investigation, Liu Yi felt that the matter was serious, so he scattered his servants to various counties to investigate the local grain prices.

By the beginning of August, after Liu Yi summarized the grain prices in various counties and places from his servants, he was surprised to find that the grain prices in Xiangping were not in one county, but in all counties had risen to varying degrees.

The lowest is more than 20%, and the highest is more than 40%, which is completely different from previous years.

Liu Yi felt something was wrong with this and immediately went to Gongsun Du with this data. As a result, he learned that Gongsun Du's condition had been repeated and needed to rest, but he did not see anyone. Liu Yi had no choice but to go to Gongsun Kang.

Gongsun Kang took some power from Gongsun Du and began to deal with government affairs in Liaodong. After seeing Liu Yi's report, he felt that there was indeed some problem.

"In previous years, the grain prices in various places occasionally vary due to different transportation time, but generally rose by 20% to 40%... Is this the Wei State affected the disaster?"

Gongsun Kang asked.

"According to some rumors, it was said that there was a plague in some places in Qingzhou. It may be because of these things that many merchants in Qingzhou from their hometowns have returned, but..."

"This should be the reason?"

After hearing what Liu Yi said, Gongsun Kang interrupted Liu Yi's concern: "Mr. Liu, you don't have to worry too much about some things. If it is caused by the plague, then such things are normal. We don't have to worry. When the plague in Wei State passes, it will naturally pass."

"But after all, it's not what we saw with our own eyes."

Liu Yi shook his head: "Young Master, I suggest we send someone to explore the truth and see if this matter is true. I always feel uneasy.

And if it is true, whether the plague is large or not, or whether it lasts for a long time, is all things we need to know. If it lasts for a long time, the food prices here may not be stable."

Gongsun Kang thought for a moment and felt it made sense. At the same time, he also had the idea that "Is it wrong for everyone to plant medicinal materials instead of growing grain?"
Chapter completed!