Chapter 362: Currency also has currency price

Li Yu was busy preparing for the welcome, and the people in the county also looked forward to it. Emperor, if you can come to the county once, it would be a blessing.

Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan really became full-time chefs, cooking for important people in the team every day. In the end, they simply had a hot pot or barbecue for two days, which would save trouble.

Gao Lishi indeed came to ask Zhang Xiaobao about opening a money shop. Zhang Xiaobao could tell the truth to this godfather, but he didn't say it too specifically. That is to say, the money shop will be helpful to the entire Tang Dynasty in the future. As for what help it is, it only revealed that once the money shop can really open all the Tang Dynasty, the silk as currency can gradually withdraw from the market.

Gao Lishi, who originally thought he was very smart, didn't understand why he could quit with money.

Just as he was about to arrive in Linfen, Gao Lishi finally summarized what he heard from Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan, and found Li Longji, who was still unwilling to stay in the cabin, but ran to the deck to take a good look at his own power.

Bi Gou and Yao Chong, who were not invited at the beginning, were also with him. Even Zhang Jiuling's former butler, was allowed to follow here. It was not because of Zhang Jiuling's face, but who made Old Man Zhang have a good relationship with Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan?

If you want to know Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan better, you must start with the people around them and you must say whatever you want to say to Li Longji. Naturally, the people in the inner courtyard of Zhang and Wang family cannot speak out and say everything.

Because it is a river channel, the most common ones I see on both sides of the river are the rice fields in the distance.

Pieces, some are already slightly yellow, and some are even green.

Li Longji held a telescope in his hand and couldn't see enough. He was satisfied with his own eyes and wanted to share his happiness with others. He said to Bi Gou, Yao Chong and Old Man Zhang: "Look at my Tang Dynasty. If it doesn't take a month, it will be golden and the people's lives will be better."

If it were before, I knew that the imperial treasury was already very abundant, so Old Man Bi and Old Man Yao would definitely flatter him, but they have always been by Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan. Naturally, they knew that the wealth of the imperial court does not mean that every citizen has money.

There are rich people, and there are not shortages of poor people, especially poor people, who can only eat a bite of food, but are far from reaching the point where every household has a new house and every family can eat meat every meal.

Not to mention how much savings you have.

Even if the family in the village has a moldy family, the food at home is now moldy and the rope for the money is rotten, they don’t say that they can take it out and share it with people around who need to dig some wild vegetables to satisfy their hunger.

Thinking of this, Old Man Bi could not follow Li Longji's words and asked Li Longji: "Your Majesty, what kind of life do you think the people live is considered a good life?"

Li Longji really doesn't know how to answer such a question. Everyone has different definitions of happiness in their hearts. After thinking about it, Li Longji said:

"I think it would be a good day to let the people have clothes to wear and not be hungry. Oh, if we can build two more rooms and sleep without squeezing, it would be better. We can't let the people eat and wear the same food and clothing as us. What do you think?"

Old Man Bi still didn't follow Li Longji's words and asked again: "Which Majesty thinks the people in which place are the best now?"

"Of course it's Sanshui County. Although I haven't been there, I have seen the model. Every family has a good house there. People eat meat whenever they want to eat fish. Even if they want to eat shrimps, they can eat it if they want to spend more money. Could it be that the people of the Tang Dynasty can do that?"

Li Longji said this without thinking about it. He didn't know what exactly happened in Luzhou, and the same was true for Shuzhou, but Sanshui County is close and has a model. If you want to know it, you will know.

After saying this, without saying anything else, Li Longji suddenly said: "I understand that the goodness of Sanshui County is not only good food and clothing, but that all the little kids there can go to school and do not cost money for treatment. Good is good, it can be said to be the number one county in the world, but the Tang Dynasty cannot have all the places like Sanshui County.

After all, there is only one family of Zhang and Wang, and Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan are only one of them. It is impossible to let all local officials reach their level."

After saying this, Li Longji also had a lot of yearning for him. If all local officials could have the abilities of the Zhang and Wang families, they could lead troops to fight immediately and defeat more places.

Seeing that his goal was achieved, Old Man Bi then said, "Your Majesty said it is right. It should make the people of the Tang Dynasty like Sanshui County. It seems difficult, but it is not difficult. As long as there is more grain yield per mu, as long as there are more people raising poultry and livestock, the price of things will naturally drop.

In addition, Zhang and Wang families are now looking for people to find places to grow a large number of medicinal materials, which will naturally benefit many people in the future. If they want, they will be established, and if they don’t want, they will be abandoned. This is the case."

"What Lord Bi said is what I want to say." Old Man Yao also said from the side. He meant the same as Old Man Bi, so that Li Longji would care more. Don't think that if there is a little more food and a little more money, you will feel that the people of the Tang Dynasty have really lived a good life.

The goal cannot be so small, so there must be a comparison. Sanshui County is a really good life.

"You two are intent, and I understand in my heart that the government will be strictly governed in the future and will not be ruthless." Li Longji thought of what Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan said that day, and any good policy needs to be implemented by others.

I have decided to send more people to patrol each place, and I have to send them to every place constantly. If the person who patrolled behind found out that a place had made a mistake before the previous patrol arrived, then the person who patroled the previous patrol would also be in trouble.

Although there are many people sent out and the spending is large, no matter how big it is, it is not as much as the money that local officials get from embezzlement and bribery. They are less greedy and less part of the state-owned resources sold at a low price due to bribery. This is enough to support the salary of the inspectors.

When Old Man Bi and Old Man Yao saw that the emperor was so easy to talk, they were happy and flattered them together and began to talk about the autumn harvest situation here today.

At this time, Gao Lishi also came over and looked at Li Longji. Seeing that Li Longji was in a good mood, he said to him: "Your Majesty, I have asked Xiaobao and Juanjuan. I thought about it for a few days before I came up with a general idea, but I'll tell him."

"Oh? But what happened to the money house?" After Gao Lishi said that, Li Longji remembered that there was such a thing, and he almost forgot about it for several days.

"Yes, Xiaobao said that as long as the money shop is opened in the future, our court will not have to continue to use silk as money. After all, the damage of silk is too great. In order to ensure the status of silk, the court has already put out a lot of money to balance it, and the rent and tax collected also account for a certain proportion of silk.

The amount of silk lost every year is lost by the imperial court, and there is also an extra money to find ways to prevent silk from getting moldy so quickly. If this continues, the Tang Dynasty will not be able to bear it."

Gao Lishi talked about the disadvantages of using silk. In fact, even without Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan, everyone knew that silk was very inconvenient as currency. A piece of silk was always used as two hundred coins, and transportation was not so comfortable. If you want to buy a thing worth five hundred coins, you had to carry three pieces of silk over there.

What should I do if I get wet by the rain? What should I do if I get crispy after being baked by the sun for a long time? What's more, I took three pieces of silk to buy something worth 500 cents, and the other party still had to find 100 cents. Now the people are unwilling to ask for silk. If the court had not given orders and there was silk in the forced transaction, I guess none of the people who sold the goods would have collected it.

Li Longji listened to Gao Lishi's words and nodded, "Would you ask Lishi, how to solve this problem? I have few copper coins and not much gold and silver. What else can I use as money besides silk? It can't be like in ancient times, just use money or cast iron coins?"

"Of course, I cannot cast iron coins. Nowadays, many craftsmen have good craftsmen. Even Kaiyuan Tongbao has people who use copper to cast them privately, not to mention iron that is worse than copper, unless it is made of stainless steel."

Gao Lishi first denied the method of using iron for money, and then said: "Xiaobao said that he was summoning the best craftsmen of the Tang Dynasty. As long as no one was going to make trouble, he and Juanjuan could increase the national strength of the Tang Dynasty several times in a very short time, saying that it was a replica of the industrial revolution model.

I don’t know what the industrial revolution model is, I just think it should be very powerful. The models of the Zhang and Wang families have never been simple. Therefore, I mean to send more craftsmen to Xiaobao and Juanjuan, and to be flexible and unrestrained."

When Li Longji heard that his national strength could be improved several times, he became interested. He suddenly realized that what he had just said was not, and turned the topic back and asked: "What I said before was silk, what does it have to do with the industrial revolution?"

"Reply to Your Majesty, it's relevant. Xiaobao and Juanjuan want to use the things made from industry as that currency, which makes it difficult to imitate. In the future, they will no longer use silk as money, and they will not release copper coins and gold and silver.

I don’t think Xiaobao and Juanjuan can’t do it. What I am worried about is that once they make money instead of copper coins and silk, wouldn’t it be as much as they make? In addition, the money house is under their control, how can the court control it?”

Gao Lishi thought about this after thinking for a few days. That is, Xiaobao and Juanjuan proposed that if another person mentioned it, he could really directly order people to arrest such a person. If the money is not controlled by the court, it would be a mess. Whose world will be?

I proposed it today, just to see if there is any solution, because Xiaobao didn't say how to do it later.

Gao Lishi said something, not only Li Longji was shocked, but even Old Man Bi and the other two took a breath. Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan were too brave in their thoughts. Could it be that they wanted this Tang Dynasty?

"Your Majesty, I think it's better to ask Xiaobao and Juanjuan for a clear question. Maybe there are other things I haven't said." Old man Bi was worried that the emperor would punish Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan in anger, so he reminded him.

Old Man Yao also said with concern: "I think the Zhang and Wang families will not do that, otherwise they would not tell General Gao."

After being surprised, Li Longji was not as angry as Old Man Bi and the other two thought. He still believed in Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan. The two of them always put what they wanted to do, never shy away from them, and occasionally plotted against each other to exchange them, but just treated them as games, and did not harm any of them to the Tang Dynasty.

After hearing what Old Man Bi and Old Man Yao said, "I'll ask you again when I'm having a meal, don't think about who will take care of the money. It's more reassuring to think that Xiaobao is taking care of the money. Now I'm not the only one who is responsible for casting copper coins. If Zhang Xiaobao is responsible, it will be done."

When Gao Lishi and others heard this, they felt that it was right. Now the emperor is not making money by himself, so he is not exhausted. He is also using others to manage this matter and supervise each other.

After that, Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan wanted to make money, so they asked them to make it for the court.

The few people who were relieved looked at the surrounding scenery again. There was an iron chain bridge in front of them. I saw several places along the way. The only difference was that in addition to the bridge, there were many people gathering there on one side of the bridge.

Some carry loads, carry baskets, and carry baskets. Children run around, and adults talk to people there, and look at them with a clairvoyance. Now it’s clear.

There are many people there who do business, but there are no houses. They just put things on the ground and sell them from time to time to attract people to see them, either with money or bartering them. They seem very busy, to be precise, messy.

Fortunately, there were still people patrolling there, and occasionally letting one stall be placed in front of it, moving back from the other stalls.

"Is this a market?" Old Man Zhang, who had not spoken, finally spoke at this time. After saying that, he looked at the emperor nervously. He had no official position and could not let him in casually.

"Farmers' Market in Fangyang Village, Linfen County." Li Longji saw the banner on the place where the group of people were, with these words written on the banner.

"Your Majesty, I will send someone to ask you now. Also, Li Yu has come here and is waiting in front of you, saying that you will ask Your Majesty to go to his Changning County to see it, which has been well developed there recently."

Not sure what the meaning of this farmers' market is, Gao Lishi began to ask someone to ask, and at the same time he did not forget to tell Li Yu out.

"Oh? But the fifth sons of my elder brother's family? Well, go and have a look." Li Longji agreed very happily. In fact, Li Yu is the sixth son, but because an older brother was adopted by someone else, he became the fifth son.

Soon, Gao Lishi arranged for the people who went to inquire back, and the fleet also stopped at the place where the bridge was crossing the bridge. Li Yu had already taken a lot of people to wait on the shore, and the guards glanced back and forth, as if everyone was trying to assassinate the emperor.

Li Longji did not get off the boat immediately and was about to eat. If he went down at this time, he would be hungry when he arrived in Changning County and was about to finish his meal.

You can't stay for too long. At most, it will be the afternoon that will last for one night in Changning County. You will have to come back tomorrow to continue to go to Jinyang.

I haven't seen Li Yu for a long time. Li Longji ordered and asked someone to call Li Yu over. He sounded the report of the person who just went to inquire about the news.

"Your Majesty, the farmers' market there is a tax-free place specially prepared for local farming and people with some skills. It is once a month. Once a month, it is on the bridge and the next time it is on the bridge. The bridge is charged for crossing the bridge, which is very cheap and there is no management fee.

During the inquiry, the people who traded said that even if they were not on the 5th, people who had free time would come here to buy the production from the owners. Many people said that this place was good, and if there was no bridge, it would be inconvenient to travel. In the past, there were many dishes at home and they had to be picked up to the county town. One trip was a long way to go, and the farthest one would take ten days and a half months.

Unlike this market, where the opening is a distance from the county town, there is no need to pay taxes. Therefore, the people are willing to come over, and there is also a market there on the other side."

Listening to what the person who went to inquire about the news, Li Longji didn't say much, nodded to show his understanding, and continued to wait for Li Yu to come here.

It didn't take long for Li Yu to come over with Xiao Chong. Other officials in Changning County were not summoned and naturally could not follow him. He could only wait for the emperor to get ashore before he could have the honor to meet him.

Xiao Chong was able to come with him because he was not going to meet the emperor. He came here specifically to see Zhang Xiaobao and wanted to learn from Zhang Xiaobao again. After meeting him once, he was considered an acquaintance.

As soon as Li Yu saw Li Longji, he immediately knelt down and kowtowed. This was not the etiquette of a minister when he saw the emperor, but the family rituals were performed.

Looking at Li Yu's appearance, Li Longji happily asked him to get up and said, "Yu'er hasn't seen me for two years, right?"

"Yes, it's been more than two years. My nephew has been working in the local area for the past two years and has never returned." Li Yu sat next to him respectfully and replied.

Li Longji looked at Li Yu carefully again and said, "Why did Yu'er lose weight and turn black again?"

"My nephew has been busy recently, so he should keep an eye on the outside to avoid being plotted against. The people in the county are waiting for their nephew to take them to live a good life. It is hot outside and the wind and sun are naturally darker and thinner, but my nephew's body is better than before."

When talking about this, Li Yu seemed to have made great contributions and replied with great pride.

Li Longji really didn't know what Li Yu was doing here. After hearing this, he said curiously: "Who dares to plot against Yu'er? When I teach him a lesson, but the chief clerk and the county magistrate are disobedient?"

Even though he knew that Li Longji was talking and playing, Li Yu was still happy and replied: "It's not the officials under his command, but the foreign chamber of commerce. He wanted to deceive his nephew's resources and money in the county and turn Changning County into a place where they can extract resources. It's the people of Silla, which are related to Sihai Academy, so they have to be careful."

"Oh? But I was cheated?" Li Longji was intrigued when he heard about lying. Recently, he always talked to Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan, and the topic was very unusual, especially the money house and the construction of the Yellow River Bridge. He didn't know how many secrets were hidden behind it, so he is very concerned about cheating.

Li Yu waved his head gently, leaned forward, and whispered: "My nephew was almost cheated. My nephew meant that you should not use your identity to suppress economic matters. After all, it is impossible for all situations to be solved by administrative means in the future.

It was also because my nephew was lucky. The other party asked my nephew to pay 50,000 guan. I didn’t have that much money at that time. I heard that my cousin was building a workshop with Xiaobao and Juanjuan in Xincai County. When my nephew celebrated his birthday the previous time, my cousin Xun gave me 10,000 guan. This time I wanted to borrow some more, and then..."

"Then you met Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan and brought a good solution from them." Li Longji didn't care about Li Yu's changes back and forth, and when he heard what he said, he asked.

"That's right, then..." Li Yu began to tell Li Longji about the fact that he had met Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan, which made Li Longji and the people around him stunned.

After finishing the story, Li Yu said again: "Now my nephew has more than 30,000 yuan, and the account in the yamen has increased tenfold compared to before. After this autumn harvest, he can pay more taxes to the court. I guess the people of the Qianshi Chamber of Commerce can't make any trouble, let alone Xiaobao and Juanjuan are there. I will ask them what they will do in the future in the evening."

Everyone else nodded and admitted Li Yu's words that the people of the Qianshi Chamber of Commerce really couldn't make any trouble. Can they meet Zhang Xiaobao? I guess there will be revenge in the future.
To be continued...