A moment later, Li Lu came in and said in a low voice,
"My aunt said that before the drought, salted fish jerky from the general store sold for about fifteen cents a jin. But once the drought started, there wasn't much fish jerky left. Even when it was available, the price shot up to thirty or forty cents. It's unclear what the price is now since no one is selling it. But that was all in the past. Now the County Magistrate has completely suppressed prices in the County Town, so it's hard to say."
At this, Li Lu shook his head and sighed. "The County Magistrate was pushed into a corner. He forcefully suppressed prices to ensure the people in the County Town could survive for the time being, to hold out until the war is over.
So, after dealing with all the uncooperative families who were hoarding grain to make an obscene profit, he confiscated all their food supplies.
And guess what happened next?
