Chapter 490

Meng Huaining was so excited because he had heard an astronomical number for him.

The per mu yield of corn after drying could actually reach more than a thousand catties. It should be known that the millet that the common people usually grow, even counting the coarse flour made from the bran, the yield per mu is barely three hundred catties, and that is said to be in a good year.

Once the year turns out bad, reduced production is a small matter, and in severe cases it can be said that there is no harvest at all.

With low crop yields, the taxes collected by the government are also very limited. Even when granaries are opened for disaster relief in times of famine, it cannot solve too many problems, resulting in countless commoners starving to death.

If crop yields are high, it would be different. When the government collects 30 percent of the crops as taxes, it would be equivalent to more than all of the original crop yield.

If this is the case, there would no longer be worries about the commoners' livelihoods in times of natural disasters.

At the moment, Sister Jiu is also unable to give the specific price of the corn seeds. Even if the price is beyond his budget, he still has to find a way to get all the seeds.

"Sister Jiu, I will go back to the yamen now to raise money for purchasing the corn seeds."

With that said, Meng Huaining was about to leave.

He only had three days to raise the silver, and it was urgent.

If Meng Huaining were to go somewhere to raise money, he could only reluctantly go to the prefect to try to figure something out.

The prefect was newly arrived, and they did not have much contact. However, judging from the way the prefect handled the matter of the two hundred dead officers last time, it was clear that he was not a particularly capable person.

Meng Huaining did not dare to have too high hopes for him, but without asking the prefect for help, he could not think of other ways for the time being, so he could only reluctantly give it a try.

When He Zhiran went home earlier, she mentioned that the government's tax revenue was almost used up. Meng Huaining was worried about raising money to purchase the corn seeds.

Seeing that he was in such a hurry to leave, Mo Jiuye stopped him.

"Is brother-in-law worrying about money?"

He had already discussed this matter with his wife. If the government could not come up with so much silver to purchase the corn seeds, they could temporarily lend it to him for the time being. They could not let Meng Huaining be in trouble over such a small matter.

As long as there was a good corn harvest next year, Meng Huaining would have no problem paying them back. Being asked like this, Meng Huaining was apparently somewhat embarrassed.

"I won't hide it from Brother Jiu, the government treasury is indeed not abundant, and I'm probably an official who governs thriftily for the people's benefit. The treasury definitely does not have much left. After purchasing sweet potatoes for 2,000 taels last time, I'm afraid the government coffer has been emptied."

Although Mo Jiuye does not walk around the officialdom, he has also heard from Mo Chuhan about what kind of person the prefect is.

There was a high probability that Meng Huaining would run into difficulties if he went to ask the prefect for ideas.

In fact, Meng Huaining was not unaware that this was the case. By going to the prefect to try to figure something out, he was just doing it as a formality.

Even if he could get a small amount of silver from the prefect, it would be of some help to him.

On the contrary, if he did not get anything out of this trip, it would allow him to clearly see the true face of the prefect.

Mo Jiuye went up to him and pulled him back to his original seat.

"My wife and I know the government coffer is poor, and you are an official who governs with integrity and cares for the common people, so the treasury must indeed have little left. It spent 2,000 taels last time to purchase sweet potatoes, which probably emptied the government reserves."

As Meng Huaining listened to Brother Jiu's words, his face turned slightly red.

"It's because I'm incompetent and unable to make Yun City prosperous."

"Master Meng is not incompetent. What you have done is already good enough, this is evident to all the commoners of Yun City." Although Tang Mingrui had once regarded Meng Huaining as his rival in love, he also clearly knew one fact: that the two of them were a loving couple, and it was not something he could interfere with just because he wanted to.

Especially after the incident where he was falsely accused of hiring someone to commit murder, Meng Huaining helped clear his name so quickly.

To Tang Mingrui, he owed Meng Huaining a favor.

"Tang is untalented, but ever since coming to the northwest, thanks to Brother Jiu and Sister Jiu, I have made quite a fortune doing business. I am willing to fund the master's purchase of corn seeds."

In fact, Tang Mingrui did not know that this was also the second idea Meng Huaining had thought of.

Although Yun City was not wealthy, it was not completely without rich people either.

If he went to the prefect and came back empty-handed, he would try to mobilize those wealthy people to lend a helping hand.

Since Tang Mingrui took the initiative to speak, he naturally had no reason to refuse.

"Purchasing grains should have been something the government should undertake in the first place. It's just that I took over an impoverished government coffer and indeed do not have that much silver.

Since this is the case, I will thank Boss Tang on behalf of Yun City commoners for his generous assistance."

After he finished speaking, Meng Huaining bowed to Tang Mingrui without any hesitation. Although Tang Mingrui was doing well in business and making strides, he had not yet reached the point described in historical records where he could call the wind and summon rain as the supreme merchant of the Great Shun Dynasty.

At present, apart from some money, he was just an ordinary commoner.

How could he dare to accept such a grand bow from the county magistrate?

Tang Mingrui quickly returned the bow.

"Master Meng is too polite. Helping the commoners is something Tang would naturally undertake without hesitation. I cannot accept such courtesy from you."

Mo Jiuye and He Zhiran had originally planned to say they would lend the corn seeds to the government first. As a result, Tang Mingrui had cut in and taken the lead.

Since this was the case, they no longer needed to compete over the limelight. Perhaps this was Tang Mingrui's first stepping stone on his way to becoming the supreme merchant in the future.

Tang Mingrui had originally thought Meng Huaining would politely decline at first before accepting. He did not expect the other party to agree so readily.

Anyway, these were not just perfunctory words he had said, so since the other party readily agreed, he would not stand on ceremony either.

"Alright, Tang will send 10,000 taels of silver to the yamen tomorrow. If that's not enough, please let me know, Master Meng."

Although Meng Huaining still did not know exactly how much silver the corn seeds would require, 10,000 taels was not a small amount to him.

Even if he called on all the merchants in Yun City to donate money, the sum would probably be less than this.

The more he looked at Tang Mingrui, the more he liked his attitude.

"I'll remember Boss Tang's generosity. If there's anything I can help with that does not violate principles, I will certainly do my best."

Although the silver for purchasing corn seeds was settled, Meng Huaining still planned to go to the prefecture to make a trip.

He had been the county magistrate of Yun City for a year and had never troubled the prefect over anything.

Since this matter concerned the livelihood of commoners, he decided to make a trip over.

Moreover, it was already afternoon now. By the time he arrived at the prefecture yamen, it might already be dark.

This was even better, letting the prefect know that he had come seeking help so late must be regarding some urgent major event.

"It's getting late, so I'll go to the prefecture first. Brother Jiu, Sister Jiu, please chat with Boss Tang."

After Meng Huaining left, the several people chatted about corn again.

"Brother Jiu, Sister Jiu, as you know, I'm now running a restaurant business, and today's dishes made with fresh corn were also very delicious. Can you also sell me some fresh corn?"

"Of course we can sell fresh corn to Brother Tang, but fresh corn doesn't keep for long, and the ripening period is very concentrated, so you would only be able to make dishes with fresh corn for a short period of time," He Zhiran explained.