Imperial Master of the Ming Dynasty

"Your Majesty, who is this madman who dares to speak so wildly?"

In the secret room, Xia Yuanji, the Minister of Household Affairs, was sitting in a precarious position. Hearing the words coming from the ceramics, he couldn't help but frown slightly and asked.

Somewhat beyond Xia Yuanji's expectation, Emperor Yongle Zhu Di did not mean to be offended after hearing this. Instead, he smiled and comforted him.

"Xia Shangshu, please be patient and continue listening."

Xia Yuanji was even more confused. He must know that Emperor Yongle was not a good-tempered master. Although he was usually kind to his courtiers, when his bottom line was really offended, Emperor Yongle would definitely become furious and even kill people in public.

But strangely, Zhu Di was not angry at all, which made Xia Yuanji curious, who is the person on the other side of the wall? How dare you speak so boldly?

Xia Yuanji stroked the three long strands of beard under his chin. Since Emperor Yongle had given this order, he had no choice but to suppress his doubts and listen carefully.

"Today's lesson is divided into two parts."

"The first part is the origin and development of money. This part must be talked about but it is not important. I will use short language to help you understand quickly without being too wordy."

"The second part, currency, commodity economy and inflation. This part is the focus of the course 'Silver Banknotes'. Only by understanding the content of this part can you understand the following issues."

"Why will silver replace copper coins as the mainstream currency of the Ming Dynasty in the future?"

“Why did ‘silver banknotes’ become the most effective tool against inflation for hundreds of years?”

Listening to the gentle and firm voice coming from next door, Xia Yuanji fell into thinking for a moment.

Xia Yuanji was the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs. Since the Hongwu Dynasty, when he was the head of the Ministry of Household Affairs, he began to assist in the management of the Ming Empire, a huge financial entity. He was personally praised by Zhu Yuanzhang, the great emperor of Taizu, for "cao's affairs are comprehensive and orderly."

Such imperial elite bureaucrats undoubtedly have rich financial management and practical experience.

Therefore, when Xia Yuanji heard Jiang Xinghuo's assertion that "silver will definitely replace copper coins in the future", he almost had an occupational disease attack and immediately started thinking about the possibility.

After a brief thought, Xia Yuanji gave his answer.

"impossible!"

When Xia Yuanji turned to look at Zhu Di, he found that there seemed to be an intriguing smile hidden in Zhu Di's eyes.

Zhu Di's temper today was unusually gentle. He did not show the aggressive arrogance he had during the dawn meeting. Instead, he continued to ask with a smile.

"Xia Shangshu, tell me, why do you think it's impossible?"

Xia Yuanji took a deep breath, pondered for a while and then replied: "Your Majesty, there are many reasons. The first is that copper coins have been tested for nearly two thousand years. In the hearts of people in the world, copper coins are currency, and what about silver? ?”

"Your Majesty may not know that the previous dynasties have tried to use silver coins. In the fourth year of Yuan Shou in the Western Han Dynasty, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty minted silver coins, but they were often abolished in two years. Wang Mang's new dynasty was retro-reformed and also issued silver coins. In the end, it was When people die, government ceases.”

"More later, "Tang Huiyao" clearly records: If there is silver in the mountains, there must be copper mines. Copper can be cast in drums, but silver is of no benefit to the people."

"As for the former Yuan, what was issued was only a rare quantity of Pasiba silver coins with exquisite texture, which could not be used for circulation at all."

"Besides, compared with copper, the Ming Dynasty's silver reserves are extremely small and cannot satisfy the needs of the people of the world."

"Your Majesty," Xia Yuanji said sincerely, "No one has tried silver. Whether it is historical experience or actual reserves, it has been proven that replacing copper coins with silver is not feasible."

Zhu Di smiled and asked: "Is Xia Shangshu afraid that if I get too excited, I will waste the copper coins and shake the Ming Dynasty?"

Xia Yuanji remained silent, but Zhu Di laughed, patted him on the shoulder and said.

"Don't worry, Xia Shangshu, I'm not reckless. Please continue to listen."

Xia Yuanji also breathed a sigh of relief. It would be good if Zhu Di listened and persuaded.

Xia Yuanji was really afraid that Zhu Di would drag him to the prison for eavesdropping for no apparent reason today. He really wanted to use silver instead of copper coins.

Why?

Just with a few words from some madman across the street, copper coins that had been used for nearly two thousand years were scrapped?

Daydreaming!

Just by looking at the words of the person opposite, Xia Yuanji could conclude that the other person knew nothing about national finances!

He's just a fanatic with whimsical ideas!

But Xia Yuanji was a loyal and cautious person, and he really didn't want to offend Zhu Di, so he patiently continued to listen to this madman's lecture, but he was getting a little impatient in his heart.

"As for the origin of currency, this point is necessary but not important." Jiang Xinghuo knew they didn't like to hear it, "so I will explain it as concisely as possible without wasting too much time."

"All of this starts with the agricultural changes we mentioned when we talked about "The Theory of National Destiny" last time."

Zhu Gaoxu's eyes narrowed, and he immediately recalled the "manufacturing power determines the manufacturing relationship" from Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties. To be honest, this was the first time in his life that Zhu Gaojiu felt that he had seen through everything. Inextricably linked.

Li Jinglong, who had never heard of it, seemed confused, but he didn't have to worry too much. Jiang Xinghuo didn't have the habit of repeating lectures.

"From the perspective of "The Theory of National Destiny", agricultural changes made the rentier class that did not need to engage in production appear for the first time, such as the nobility, the army, and priests, forming a necessary component of the country."

"From the perspective of "Chinese Monetary History", agricultural changes brought about the great division of labor in society, and the great division of labor brought about primitive exchange."

Jiang Xinghuo wrote two words on the ground and said while writing.

"In fact, after people in ancient times obtained food and items other than what they needed for survival, 'division of labor and exchange' inevitably began."

"Division of labor and exchange are twins."

Pointing to the two words on the ground, Jiang Xinghuo explained seriously.

"This is not difficult to understand. Some people farm, some raise livestock, and some make tools. This is a division of labor; and they rely on mutual barter transactions. Those who cultivate the land can exchange food for meat, In exchange for a stone sickle, this is an exchange."

With that said, Jiang Xinghuo gave two branches to Li Jinglong and two small stones to Zhu Gaoxu, while holding two leaves in his hand.

"The leaves are 'food', the branches are 'meat', and the stones are 'stone sickles'. Let's exchange them now."

Looking like a child playing a game, Li Jinglong reluctantly exchanged a piece of 'food' with Jiang Xinghuo, and Zhu Gaoxu also exchanged a piece of 'stone sickle' with Jiang Xinghuo.

"Very good, now you two people who don't grow food have obtained food by exchanging meat and stone sickles, right?"

Zhu Gaoxu nodded seriously, and even counted the portion of 'grain' in his hand and the remaining portion of 'stone sickle'.

Jiang Xinghuo continued: "This kind of direct barter can meet people's survival and development needs when the scope of transactions is narrow and the varieties are rare. However, the establishment of barter requires a double coincidence of needs and The double coincidence of time and the double coincidence of quantity are the prerequisites.”

"His Majesty!"

Xia Yuanji finally couldn't bear it anymore, and he almost complained to Zhu Di in a complaining tone.

"The country has been in chaos due to war, and everything is in ruins. I am the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, and I wish I had eighteen hours to do things every day. There are so many things piled on the desks of the various secretaries and envoys, such as the Wusong River flood, the locust plague in Shandong, and the Gansu disaster. Drought. There are so many places waiting for disaster relief, and it’s time to turn in autumn grain. How can I have time to listen to children playing games in the secret room of the imperial prison?"

When Zhu Di heard this, he comforted him calmly.

"I know that Xia Shangshu is in a hurry, but I don't think there is any need to rush. There are so many things in the country and we don't have to wait until this day to do them. Xia Shangshu might as well make a bet with me today."

"What are you betting on?" Xia Yuanji asked helplessly.

"If you continue to listen, your jaw will drop."

Xia Yuanji looked at Zhu Di with his eyes in disbelief, folding his hands and nestling in the chair. Is this what the Supreme Being in the World should say?

Xia Yuanji almost uttered the classic saying, "Looking at someone is not like a human being."

Zhu Di's words reached this point, and Xia Yuanji, as a minister, had no choice but to continue listening.

But in his heart, he became more and more disdainful and irritable, Xia Yuanji thought to himself.

I, Xia Yuanji, am a minister, in charge of the money and food of the Ming Dynasty. I am the person who best understands how to manage the country and benefit the people.

Want to eavesdrop on a madman's lecture in prison?

What’s more important is how to manage the country and benefit the people?

Isn't this just Lu Ban wielding a big ax in front of the gate, and Guan Gong wielding a big sword in front of him?

The emperor actually asked me to continue listening, which was an insult to my professionalism.

How unreasonable! Dare to be angry but dare not speak.

Inside the wall, Li Jinglong nodded, bartering, it was indeed the case.

Seeing that both of them had figured it out, Jiang Xinghuo continued.

“After a person in a specific division of labor can rely on exchange to obtain all the necessary resources for his survival, a more refined division of labor will inevitably occur. For example, people who make stone tools are divided into those who make stone sickles, stone mills, and stone tools. Hoe man.”

As he spoke, Jiang Xinghuo placed a large stone and a medium stone on the left and right sides of Zhu Gaoxu.

"The big stone is the stone mill, the medium stone is the stone hoe, and the small stone left in your hand is the stone sickle."

Jiang Xinghuo paused and then said: "The refinement of the 'division of labor' has led to the high frequency and scale of 'exchange'. So what do you think, before I exchanged a share of grain for you a share of stone sickle? How much grain should I exchange for your stone mill now?"

Zhu Gaoxu scratched his beard and said, "I'll have three portions anyway."

"Then what if I don't have three copies, or I'm not willing to give them three copies?" Jiang Xinghuo spread his hands, "You can't find another buyer for a while, and the double coincidence of 'demand, time, and quantity' doesn't matter. Existence, are you going to starve to death while you wait for the rice to be cooked?"

Zhu Gaoxu thought for a while, then showed a fierce expression.

"If I refused to trade, how could I sit and wait to starve to death? I must have stoned others to death while I still had the strength, and then snatched away the food."

After that, he made a waving motion with the stone in his hand.

Jiang Xinghuo: "."

Li Jinglong: "."