Yu Mingyue sent people to escort the two brothers back, wanting to understand the truth. The Cui family was powerful, and it was not impossible for clan members or wicked servants to commit evil deeds under the Cui family's name.
However, this matter was indeed heinous.
She almost believed that everyone in Qinghe Prefecture was prosperous and the people lived in peace and happiness.
After dinner, the person Yu Mingyue sent to gather information returned: "Miss, it is indeed the Cui family's doing to requisition farmland for planting mulberries."
"Does my maternal grandfather also know about this?"
The servant nodded: "He should know. I also heard that it was the Cui family's Sixth Master who opened up trade between the Cui family and the West last year. He said that our Central Plains' silk was the most popular, and its price multiplied several times over there. The fields requisitioned this year are just the beginning. If the trade goes well, the entire Jiangnan will have to switch to planting mulberries and raising silkworms."
"How could my maternal grandfather agree to such a self-destructive practice? Grain is the foundation of a nation. Jiangnan is known as the land of fish and rice, the granary of Great Wei. If everyone plants mulberries and raises silkworms, will we all be left to freeze in the wind?"
Rich people could afford grain, but what about those like the two brothers? They would starve to death. If the millions of soldiers of Great Wei had no grain, how could they defend the country?
"Uncle, why don't you even try to stop maternal grandfather? Qinghe has always been the granary of Great Wei!" Yu Mingyue paced angrily in the room.
Cui Jiulang remained silent for a long time before speaking: "That's why I said it's impossible to persuade your maternal grandfather."
As the head of the Cui family, did he not know what this meant?
The Cui family was already as rich as a nation. Money was just a number to the Cui family. The purpose of requisitioning fields to plant mulberries was not for money, but to exert pressure on the imperial court.
Yue'er was right. Grain was the foundation. When the people of Great Wei could not even eat enough, they would rebel. What would the Sage use to fight against the aristocratic families?
The so-called establishment of official schools was also a castle in the air, otherwise, the aristocratic families would not have agreed so readily.
Since the former emperor took action against the Wang family, and the children of aristocratic families withdrew from the court and lived in seclusion, the conflict between the two sides became irreconcilable.
"So that's how it is." Yu Mingyue chuckled, with a hint of helplessness: "Maternal grandfather is pulling the rug out from under us, but the common people are so innocent, to become their sacrificial lambs."
"In the eyes of those in power, the common people are like ants, not even worthy of being their chess pieces. Yue'er, this is just the beginning!" Cui Jiulang said worriedly.
"What do you mean by that, Uncle? Does maternal grandfather have other methods?"
"The permit for opening maritime trade was issued by the Central Secretariat two years ago. In the past two years, as silver flowed into the capital in large quantities, the imperial court was blinded. Who will the people who know the truth blame, the imperial court or the Cui family? Let me put it this way, this game started long ago. Not only the Cui family, but the Lu family, the Zheng family, and the Li family will cooperate. How long can Great Wei endure? At that time, will the military governors who hold military power listen to the Xiao royal family, which cannot produce grain, or the Four Great Clans?"
"Uncle, what good would it do the Four Great Clans if Great Wei fell into chaos? Besides, if war really broke out, would the Four Great Clans have enough troops to guard those granaries?" Yu Mingyue felt this was a tactic that would harm oneself more than the enemy.
"Therefore, I said it's not easy to persuade your maternal grandfather. They have been planning this game for too long."
If it weren't for the defeat of Prince Han's faction, perhaps there would have been no need for this move of pulling the rug out from under them.
Now, for the Cui family, it was not without a chance of turning things around.
That was Yue'er.
The Seventh Prince, Xiao Che, was fond of Yue'er. If Yue'er were to become empress in the future, the Cui family could support Xiao Che.
However, the premise was that the Sage abdicated early, just as the former emperor had yielded the throne to the Sage back then.