"And they have the nerve to say this year's harvest was bad. Pah!"
"In the past, a *shi* of grain cost one tael of silver at most, but this time it shot straight up to one and a half."
"It might not seem like a big jump, but the garrisons of the Three Towns are short four hundred thousand *shi*. All told, that's an extra one hundred and sixty thousand taels of silver!"
"You're telling me!"
"I heard the Third Master went in person and was completely rebuffed. I wonder if the Marquis will go himself."
"He'll go. Why wouldn't he?"
"He should take us with him. I'd like to see how many heads they've got to dare and raise prices for no reason!"
Hearing this, Chen Yi frowned to himself.
The day before yesterday, Xiao Wan'er had told him that the silver coins Elder Master Xiao spent buying grain had nearly emptied the family's coffers.
It was just barely enough to cover the summer grain that had been burned in Iron Wall Town and to fill the shortfall in the grain tax.
