Imperial Master of the Ming Dynasty

"132 years ago, Kublai Khan informed the world with the "Edict on the Founding of the Kingdom". Taking the meaning of the great Qianyuan in the "Book of Changes", the founding of the country was named Dayuan."

“The first question this country faced after its founding, with hundreds of thousands of armored men and an extremely vast territory, was what to use as currency?”

"This decision will undoubtedly have a profound impact on Dayuan's future destiny."

"Okay, now comes the multiple-choice question, giving you a chance to simulate being an emperor. If you were the ruler of the Yuan Dynasty, which of the following would you choose as currency? Note that the Southern Song Dynasty has not yet perished at this time."

Jiang Xinghuo said the options with a bit of a smile, as if he was inducing him.

"Gold, silver, copper coins, banknotes."

"At least choose one."

Li Jinglong fell into deep thought after hearing this.

Gold can be eliminated first. Since ancient times, China has not used gold as a currency in its dynasties.

China is extremely short of gold mines, which makes gold very valuable. All gold mines are firmly controlled by the imperial court.

From mining to melting and smelting, to casting and use, gold is simply not accessible to ordinary people. Even when wealthy families in the county marry their daughters, they only get a few gold ornaments at most. Most of these dowries are passed down from generation to generation, and few rich people are willing to make all new ones.

As for the imperial court using gold to mint gold coins, it is possible. It is not that no dynasty has ever done this, but it is usually used to reward ministers.

Gold coins are used to circulate among the people. Have you never heard of the story of "a child carrying gold and walking in the bustling city"?

Even if you have never heard of it, you should still understand the principle that "every man is not guilty, but he is guilty of having a jade".

Using gold coins is purely challenging people's moral bottom line.

As for the moral bottom line, it is generally best not to challenge it, because once challenged, it is difficult to imagine how flexible a person's moral bottom line will be.

As for silver, silver has more storage and mining capacity than gold, but the amount is limited.

Like gold, there is no question about the value of silver in the hearts of ordinary people. Everyone recognizes this thing.

But in addition to the problem of low production of silver, there is another important problem, that is, there is no unified weight and fineness standard for this thing.

Speaking of this, we have to be grateful for the contribution of Qin Shihuang, the emperor of the ages. It was Qin Shihuang who unified the currency and made the "Qin Ban Liang" custom-made. From then on, whether it was "Han Wu Baht" or "Sui Wu Baht", After all, there is a unified weight standard.

--but not silver.

Therefore, silver is not suitable for ordinary people's daily small transactions, but it is suitable for large transactions, because in the scene of large transactions, a few dozen guan of money would need a strong man to carry it, and a thousand guan of money would have to be pulled by a horse-drawn carriage. .

Therefore, silver is mostly used as a secondary currency.

Li Jinglong ruled out gold and considered silver as an alternative.

In the secret room next door, Xia Yuanji, the Minister of Revenue, gave Zhu Di a more professional and detailed explanation.

"Your Majesty, the two rivers (Hebei and Hedong), Guanzhong, and Shandong controlled by the Yuan Dynasty at that time did not produce copper or only produced a small amount of copper. The mints and smelting sites controlled by the Yuan Dynasty were all located in the heart of Henan Province inherited from the Jin Dynasty. Land. If copper was transported thousands of miles from the hometown of Xixia in Longyou (today's Baiyin area of ​​Gansu), the cost of making it would be extremely high."

"During the Jin Dynasty, the shortage of copper was already very serious. At that time, the 'money shortage' in the Lianghe area was very serious. The Jin Dynasty was attacked from both sides by Mongolia and the Southern Song Dynasty. The lack of copper materials was so difficult to solve that it could only introduce paper money to alleviate the money shortage."

Zhu Di nodded clearly and said, "So the choice of banknotes in the founding of the Yuan Dynasty was actually a last resort?"

"That's not all." Xia Yuanji added, "In fact, banknotes were relatively well accepted in the Northern and Southern Song Dynasties at that time, so there was no need to worry about being rejected by the people."

"and"

"If you have anything to say, just say it." Zhu Di didn't care.

"To be honest, although the Mongols were barbaric, brutal, murderous and warlike, the Yuan Dynasty was actually relatively developed in terms of astronomy, calendar, numerology, economics of the country and the people, and the people in the early Yuan Dynasty were also quite enlightened. What? Dare to try it."

Zhu Di was not angry when he heard this, but affirmed: "That's right, aren't the cannons and gunpowder used by the Mongols? So for currency, the Yuan Dynasty chose paper money. It was short of copper and felt that the people could accept it, so it strengthened Are you brave enough to give it a try?"

"That's probably the mentality." Xia Yuanji nodded slightly.

While Zhu Di and Xia Yuanji were talking in the secret room, Zhu Gaoxu and Li Jinglong inside the wall also made their own decisions and named the 'Yuan Dynasty currency' they chose.

Li Jinglong, the paper warrior saint, said confidently.

"If I were the emperor of the Yuan Dynasty, then I would choose to use copper coins as the main currency and choose silver as the auxiliary currency. No need to remind me. Anyone with a little common sense knows that there was a shortage of copper in the North and there was a 'money shortage'. That's what I chose. I have my reasons.”

Zhu Gaoxu frowned when he heard this. Anyone with a little common sense knows it, why don't I know it?

Good boy, you're scolding me for not having common sense, right?

Zhu Gaoxu glared angrily.

Li Jinglong probably also reacted, shrank his neck and continued to talk about his reasons.

"From a military perspective, when the Yuan Dynasty was established, the Jiannan Xichuan Road in the Southern Song Dynasty was lost. Only the Jiannan Dongchuan Road was supported by the mountain defense system built by Yu Jie, and its purpose was only to guard half of Sichuan. , just to prevent the Mongolian army from flowing down the Yangtze River."

"As for the Huainan defense line, it has been in operation for hundreds of years since Han Shizhong and Liu Qi in the Southern Song Dynasty. Relying on the criss-crossing river network and the overwhelming naval superiority, it formed an iron wall that was impossible to break through head-on."

"Therefore, among the three lines of defense relied on by the Southern Song Dynasty, the only relatively weak point was the Jinghu War Zone with Xiangfan as the center under Yue Fei's jurisdiction in the past."

"Since I am the emperor of the Yuan Dynasty, I will definitely choose to use copper coins for a few more years, and then destroy the Southern Song Dynasty. All the roads in the south are copper mines, and the problem of money shortage caused by lack of copper will naturally be solved."

Jiang Xinghuo was startled, this was an alternative way of solving the problem.

But it doesn’t mean that the other party took advantage of the loophole. Since it was already simulating being the emperor of the Yuan Dynasty to choose currencies, there was naturally the option of delaying it for a few years and waiting for the demise of the Southern Song Dynasty to continue to mint copper coins on a large scale.

"You are very smart, and you are worthy of being my student." Jiang Xinghuo affirmed his choice, "If you become the emperor of the Yuan Dynasty, the Yuan Dynasty will definitely live longer."

Li Jinglong was very proud and glanced at Zhu Gaoxu as if demonstrating.

In front of Mr. Jiang, Zhu Gaoxu didn't bother to beat him.

Jiang Xinghuo turned around and asked, "What about you?"

"I choose banknotes as the main item and copper coins as the supplement."

Zhu Gaoxu said honestly: "Since there is a shortage of copper, gold and silver are really scarce, and people can accept banknotes, then using banknotes is naturally the best. But copper coins are indeed safe, and they are excellent as auxiliary coins."

"Very well, you are very smart too."

Jiang Xinghuo smiled again and asked, "Then have you noticed that your choice seems familiar?"

"Looks familiar?" Zhu Gaoxu was confused for a moment, but then he woke up.

"This, isn't this the current monetary system of the Ming Dynasty?" Zhu Gaoxu slapped his forehead and said, "The main currency is banknotes, supplemented by copper coins."

"Yes, congratulations, you and Emperor Gao, the great ancestor of the Ming Dynasty, have come together."

Jiang Xinghuo continued: "But the designers of the monetary system of the Yuan Dynasty were obviously more bold."

"The methods you have envisioned were all proposed by officials of the Yuan Dynasty, but in the end, they were all rejected one by one by Liu Bingzhong, who designed the system of the Yuan Dynasty. Liu Bingzhong suggested to Kublai Khan that he only use paper money and stop minting copper coins for circulation. "

"Kublai Khan unified the banknote law, changed the currency system, established a new currency system, and abolished the copper coin system of the previous dynasty. There was only one currency in circulation in the country, which was the banknote issued by the Yuan Dynasty government, called 'Zhongtong Banknote'. "

"During this period, the rulers of the Yuan Dynasty were extremely careful in the operation and maintenance of the monetary system. They not only established specialized departments and hired a large number of scholars with superb skills to strictly control the quantity of currency issuance through calculations; they also set up gold and silver balance banks. banknotes, banknotes can be exchanged for gold and silver in a timely manner without any obstruction by any official; and counterfeit banknotes are strictly cracked down, and counterfeiters will be punished with death penalty. These measures effectively guarantee the currency value of the "Zhongtong Banknote" and establish credibility in the hearts of the people. .”

Li Jinglong interjected: "Winning the trust of the people is like the story of Shang Yang's 'Lumber at the South Gate'."

Jiang Xinghuo nodded and said: "Kublai Khan and others are so cautious for a very simple reason. These people are smart and saw how the last Jin Dynasty, which was desperate to print paper money, lost the people's support and then failed. Those who left Feng and were trapped in Caizhou."

The secret room next door.

Zhu Di was very puzzled at this time. He turned to ask Xia Yuanji.

"Xia Shangshu, you also know that I have been serving the country for a long time. In the past, I was a ruthless soldier and paid little attention to government affairs, let alone running the country and benefiting the people."

Seeing that the emperor was so humble, Xia Yuanji quickly lifted up his red official robe and stood up, saluting.

"Your Majesty, if you have any questions, I will tell you everything."

Zhu Di was a little embarrassed for a moment. This embarrassment was not for him, but for his father, Zhu Yuanzhang.

"When Emperor Taizu Gao formulated the Ming Dynasty's treasure banknote system, didn't he refer to what Kublai Khan and Liu Bingzhong did in the Yuan Dynasty? In addition to beheading those who forge treasure banknotes, why don't I see any scholars who are good at arithmetic in the Ministry of Household Affairs every year? Calculating the circulation of treasure banknotes, we don’t see any stable treasury where the treasure banknotes can be exchanged for gold and silver?”

After hearing the emperor's question, Xia Yuanji felt a little embarrassed. He answered hesitantly: "Emperor Taizu Gao was wise and mighty, and had insight into thousands of miles. He must have had his own considerations."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Di roughly understood what was going on.

You have to consider everything yourself. Well, when my father formulated the treasure money system, he might not have thought about this at all.

When Zhu Di recalled Jiang Xinghuo's chessboard set, he knew that his father, Zhu Yuanzhang, must be someone who didn't know much about mathematics.

"wrong!"

Zhu Di suddenly remembered something.

"When I was a child, I saw banknotes from the Yuan Dynasty, and I also heard the folk song "Drunken Taiping Xiaoling"."

With his aged voice, Zhu Di sat on a chair and sang softly the nursery rhymes he had heard as a child.

"The Great Yuan is dignified, but the traitor is in power.

The opening of the river has become the source of trouble, causing thousands of red scarves.

Official laws are indiscriminate, criminal laws are heavy, and the people are resentful.

People buy people, money buys money, how has it ever happened?

Thieves become officials, officials become thieves, and fools and wise men are mixed up.

What a pity! "

Xia Yuanji originally wanted to compliment him without conscience, but His Majesty's singing voice was like the sound of a fairy.

But when the words came to his lips, Xia Yuanji really couldn't say them out, so he had to give up.

"People buy people, money buys money!"

Zhu Di sighed.

"At the beginning of the establishment of the Yuan Dynasty, the banknote system was so complete. There were departments responsible for calculations, departments responsible for exchanges, and departments responsible for punishment. So why did it end up like this at the end of the Yuan Dynasty?"

"Think more deeply." Zhu Di suddenly stood up, "The Ming Dynasty treasure banknotes, the banknote legal system is inferior to that of the Yuan Dynasty, will it become a piece of waste paper in a shorter period of time, causing "thousands of red scarves" Woolen cloth?"

"His Majesty!"

Xia Yuanji, who had just sat back down, was shocked. He could no longer sit still and stood up and fell to his knees.

"Your Majesty, please take back the Holy Word!"

"Just a few words of emotion." Zhu Di helped Xia Yuanji up with both hands, "Xia Shangshu doesn't have to be like this. I just think that the Ming Dynasty's banknote method cannot repeat the mistakes of the Yuan Dynasty. Since there are already Yellow Turban Army, Red Turban Army Turban Army, there is no way that some Green Turban Army or Blue Turban Army will come to take the lives of my descendants in the future."

Xia Yuanji then stood up in panic. After standing up, he took off his official hat with both hands, which meant that he was resigning.

"As the Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, I cannot solve your Majesty's problems. I just sit back and watch the corruption of the Ming Dynasty's banknote law. I am incompetent. I will be guilty of serving as an official!"

"Put it on!"

Xia Yuanji was indifferent, Zhu Di scolded him again, already angry, and Xia Yuanji put on his official hat.

Now that the topic has reached this point, Zhu Di put his hands behind his hands and asked: "Today I will ask you, the Minister of Household Affairs, how much the Ming Dynasty's treasure banknotes have depreciated compared to when they were issued? You are not allowed to take off your official hat. I forgive you. .”

What Zhu Di originally thought was that Hongwu's banknote method might be corrupted, but it should not be a big deal. He just took the opportunity to inspect Xia Yuanji.

But I really don’t know if I don’t hear it, and I’m shocked when I hear it.

Zhu Di was so angry that he almost took back "I forgive you".

Xia Yuanji's voice was hard: "In the seventh year of Hongwu, Emperor Taizu Gao decreed the establishment of a department for raising treasure banknotes; in the eighth year of Hongwu, an imperial edict was issued to the province to create Ming Dynasty treasure banknotes and order them to be circulated among the people. A single treasure banknote is equivalent to 1,000 copper coins; Hongwu In the twenty-third year of the reign of Emperor Hongwu, the value of Guanbao banknotes was only 250 copper coins; in the twenty-seventh year of Hongwu, it was 160 copper coins."

Xia Yuanji's voice became lower and lower in the end, and Zhu Di's expression became more and more gloomy.

To be honest, others may not believe it, but in the past few months since he ascended the throne, Zhu Di has never thought about the issue of depreciation of treasure banknotes.

But now that I understand it, I find that it is simply shocking!

Is it possible that the Ming Dynasty that he just took over will once again "buy people and buy money"?

No!

I will never allow it!

Zhu Di took a deep breath and covered the back of the chair with his fingers.

"Does Shangshu Xia have any countermeasures?" Zhu Di asked in a deep voice.

Xia Yuanji opened his mouth to say "change banknotes", but the nursery rhyme sung by Zhu Di, "Opening a river to change banknotes is the source of disaster, causing thousands of red scarves" was still in his ears. How could he say it out loud?

Xia Yuanji was speechless.

"If you open a subject to get scholars, all the heroes in the world will be among the best." Zhu Di was stunned for a moment, and then said with relief, "I didn't expect that all the heroes in the world can't compare to Jiang Xinghuo, who is not among the best. He really can't compare to cutting down his vassal, but he can't compare with him." It can’t be compared with Hai, it can’t be compared with Genghua’s taxation, and it can’t be compared when it comes to banknotes now.”

Are these all policies proposed by Jiang Xinghuo?

Xia Yuanji's heart skipped a beat, what kind of evil spirit is this?

Cutting down vassal vassals, opening up seas, and spreading servitude into rural areas, any policy was a coup that would leave a lasting name in history.

But when it comes to banknote law, aside from anything else, as the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue in charge of a country's finances, his status and dignity lie here.

After being rebuked by the emperor to his face for not being as good as a prisoner in running the country and benefiting the people, Xia Yuanji could not help but refute him no matter how knowledgeable the prisoner was.

"Your Majesty, I don't know that the policies adopted by Your Majesty these days are all proposed by this Jiang Xinghuo, but no matter what, I think it is impossible for Jiang Xinghuo to propose measures that can completely change the banknote law and have minimal disadvantages. Otherwise, I would have to What’s the use of waiting for the minister of state?”

It was obvious that Xia Yuanji was not convinced, and Zhu Di felt disappointed.

"Yes, what use are you, ministers of the country? Just keep listening until the end, Mr. Jiang may come up with a solution."

Xia Yuanji obviously didn't agree, and he still frowned.

At this time, Zhu Gaoxu's naive voice came from the ceramic wall: "So what happened next?"

This question is exactly what Zhu Di in the secret room wants to ask.

Jiang Xinghuo's plain voice followed closely.

"What happened next? We'll find out if we continue the simulation."

On the first day of publication, 12,000 words were updated, and the leader will be rewarded 6,000 for the minimum guarantee of 6,000+. I would like to thank the leader again for "being in the cloud", and please give me a monthly ticket by the way! ! !