After Cai Jing took his seat, he stated the recent events to Zhang Yue.

Zhang Yue felt a little emotional about Cai Jing.

When I read in the past, I always said that Wang Anshi's reform failed in the end, which was the reason for the demise of the Northern Song Dynasty.

But the question is, did Wang Anshi’s reform really fail?

Do you want to know that Cai Jing, who served as prime minister for four times during the reign of Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty, abolished Wang Anshi's reform?

absolutely not.

And on the contrary, he implemented Wang Anshi's reform ideas. The most important thing about Wang Anshi's reform was not the Green Crops Law, the Market Change Law, etc. These were superficial and not substantive.

The most important core of Wang Anshi's reform was a sentence that Zhang Yue saw in an article written by Wang Anshi on the stone wall when he went to the Sansidu branch office.

That is 'the one who unites the world's wealth is the one who manages the world's wealth, and the one who manages the world's wealth is the law'.

This sentence can completely summarize all the thoughts of Wang Anshi's reform.

This means that money is collected from the people and returned to the court, and then distributed through the court!

As for Cai Jing, he absorbed this sentence but made extreme modifications, and finally came up with "Fengheng Yuda" and "Wei Wang can't do it".

Cai Jing told Zhang Yue about the recent operations of the Exchange, and Zhang Yue was quite satisfied. After he left the Exchange, Cai Jing has indeed brought the operation of the Exchange to a higher level.

Zhang Yue said: "There is one thing. Do the dozen businessmen who were arrested in Daming Mansion last time have something to do with you?"

Cai Jing heard this and said: "Yes, it was the students who suggested it to Xiang Ji."

Businessmen in Daming Prefecture set up a private version of the Exchange, which was then closed down by the court and all the businessmen were arrested.

"Is it cutting off the exchange's financial path?"

Cai Jingdao: "Yes... so."

Zhang Yue said: "Although this incident did not surprise me, I did not expect it... Yuan Chang, you still impressed me."

"It's because the students didn't do it properly."

Zhang Yue said: "I don't blame you. Guan Zhong advocated the officialdom of mountains and seas, Sang Hongyang advocated salt and iron theory, and this dynasty also banned tea and alcohol, but now sooner or later there will be a ban on cross-examination."

"But what has not yet begun has been done by you in advance."

Only then did Zhang Yue establish Jiaoyinjian, and Cai Jing thought of establishing a monopoly like the salt and iron franchise, and using his power to suppress any private businessmen who entered the field.

Cai Jing said: "Teacher, I have seen the exchanges run by famous people. They are very good. They not only take advantage of the strengths of our Bianjing Exchange, but also have none of our shortcomings."

"For example, the handling fee has been reduced from 500 fen per seat to 300 fen, but they only charge 200 fen, and even big businessmen only charge 150 fen."

"Many salt merchants left Bianjing and went to Damingfu to trade salt banknotes. After all, we were run by the imperial court and did not dare to lend money privately. However, many merchants in Damingfu started out as warehouse merchants. The money they earned from selling salt banknotes was directly

Deposit it in your own library and do whatever you want."

"Over the years, in order to please the three officials and officials, the students have continuously contributed money and money, and it was difficult for the court ministers to ignore the exchanges and make excessive profits. But these businessmen have done nothing. Now the road is paved.

Ping, they are just sitting back and enjoying the results."

"Teacher, students have no choice but to do this, otherwise the painstaking efforts of the exchange will be...Teacher, I dare to ask, if the court did not ban salt, private salt would be rampant now, and there would be no room for public salt.

?”

Zhang Yue said: "I understand what you said. I can't blame you for this matter, but you still have to have room for action. Just let these dozen businessmen go immediately, and don't make enemies everywhere."

Cai Jingdao: "The students understand, and they have learned the lesson. Within the first half year, they immediately set up a prison transfer in Damingfu and Chengdu to deal with the salt banknotes in Liao and Dali, but the processing fee will be reduced to two hundred."

It is indeed difficult to do it in a short period of time."

Zhang Yue saw that Cai Jing had learned his lesson, so he said: "If you can't do it, you can't do it. We are a big ship. When the ship is big, it is difficult to turn around. There are many places that need to be repaired. There will naturally be more idle people to support on weekdays."

"

Cai Jingdao: "Thank you very much, teacher. The student also plans to use Luoyang and Jingzhao to lead the way. This time, he will increase his capital by 30,000 shares and sell them to the private sector. Each share will be sold for 100 guan, raising 3 million guan. As for

Damingfu, the branch office in Chengdu, and the Exchange still hold 70% of the shares, and local officials and gentry will take over the rest."

Zhang Yue said: "You don't have to ask me about this, just do it yourself."

Zhang Yue thought that even if the shares of the stock exchange increased from 20 guan per share to 50 guan per share, and now to 100 guan per share, it is estimated that it would still be difficult to get one share on sale.

Zhang Yue said to Cai Jing: "First ask the Third Division, Shaanxi Transfer Division, how many shares they want to buy?"

Cai Jingdao: "The students have already asked. Previously, Prime Minister Ji wanted to buy 3,000 shares, and Xue Yunsi wanted to buy 2,000 shares. Originally, they wanted to buy more. At the same time, the two empress dowagers..."

Zhang Yue thought to himself that the price of one hundred guan was really low, and the additional shares had already been reserved by others.

If you buy one hundred guan per share, you can actually earn it.

Cai Jing asked: "Teacher, is there anything you want to buy here?"

Zhang Yue wanted to refuse, but after thinking about it he finally said, "I have to ask my wife about this."

After Cai Jing left, Zhang Yue lamented that the monetization of salt banknotes had taken another step forward, and sooner or later the court would include Huai salt and other salt banknotes in the category of salt banknotes.

What Cai Jing will do decades later, he now does in advance.

Cai Jing finally moved all the gold and silver exchanged for salt banknotes into Song Huizong's warehouse. The Song Dynasty's annual salt banknote income increased from two million guan to 20 million guan.

Zhang Yue was about to take a rest.

At this time, an outsider said: "A soldier from Shaanxi came outside and said his name was Wang Yin, and he insisted on seeing the master."

Zhang Yue thought to himself, could it be Wang Shao?

Zhang Yue immediately said: "Bring him here to see you."

When Zhang Yue saw him, he turned out to be Wang Shao.

Zhang Yue couldn't help scolding him when he saw it: "Zichun is so bold, how dare you come to see me in private?"

When Wang Shao was summoned to the capital, he should have met the emperor first, and before that he visited the minister's residence in private. If this matter spread out, he would be impeached by the censor.

Wang Shao had a dusty look on his face and was dressed like a soldier. After meeting Zhang Yue, he threw away Fan Yangli and sat carelessly on the edge of the couch and said with a smile: "I'm going to see you soon, how can I not come to see you?"

Where is my sponsor?"

Zhang Yue said: "So, are you here to pay back the money?"

Wang Shao said: "This is not the case. Now my entourage is in the official post. I came to see Zhang Zhengyan privately to ask for advice on how to face the king."

Zhang Yue said: "You can just speak frankly about the matter before you. Why do you need to ask me?"

Wang Shao said: "Otherwise, in the past, when Shang Yang spoke about the King of Qin, he first talked about the emperor's way, then the king's way and domineering, and finally talked about reforms before he was appreciated by the King of Qin. I only have one chance as a king, and I dare not let down the grace of Zhengyan's recommendation."

Zhang Yue said: "It's just a favor of recommendation, the important thing is...do you also have imperial ways, royal ways, and overbearing strategies to convince the officials?"

Wang Shao said: "Of course. If your majesty is the ruler of the country, then I will advise your majesty and the army to stop fighting at the border and not to fight for an inch of territory."

"If your majesty is determined to do it slowly, then I will tell you how to reconcile the Tibetan tribes, build up troops and prepare weapons, so that you can recover Hengshan in the future."

"If Your Majesty is like Qin Xiaogong, a master with great plans and strategies, then my words can help the imperial court to destroy Xixia and avoid future troubles forever. This will also make me prosperous and become king and prime minister in the future."

Destroying Xixia is such a big statement.

Zhang Yue saw Wang Shao speaking with great enthusiasm, as if he could get fame easily, and couldn't help asking: "What's your plan? How can you have such a big success?"

Wang Shao heard this and said: "Although Zhang Zhengyan is my benefactor, I will not tell you the details. As long as Zhang Zhengyan tells me your Majesty's determination."

Zhang Yue nodded and said, "Your Majesty has summoned Xue Xiang to come to Beijing with you, so there is no need to say more about his ambition."

Wang Shao's eyes lit up and he said: "Your Majesty is..."

Zhang Yue said: "Your Majesty admires Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty the most, what do you think?"

Wang Shao vigorously clapped his hands and said: "In this way, I, Wang Shao, will be rich and famous, and I will be famous all over the world in just a few days."

Zhang Yue looked at Wang Shao and thought in his own excitement, that people like Wang Shao are too keen on fame and wealth, and they are too conceited and have too high self-esteem.

If such people become successful in the future, they usually think that everything is achieved through their own hard work, without the help of others.

If Wang Anshi is unkind, then Wang Shao is a little ruthless. Of course, many people who can achieve great things also have this temperament.

It seems difficult for the other party to truly take his recommendation to heart. But having said that, everyone is just doing what they want.

Wang Shao muttered to himself for a while, then he remembered that Zhang Yue was beside him, and then said: "Don't worry, Zhang Zhengyan, Wang will definitely repay your recommendation in the future."

Zhang Yue smiled and said: "Zichun just remember it. If you have a day when scholars worship generals, and I have anything to ask for, don't forget it."

Wang Shao smiled and said: "Of course."

After the two had a long conversation, Wang Shao kept asking Zhang Yue for food, money, and various financial supports.

Zhang Yue thought to himself that the six thousand salt banknotes he gave you have not been recovered yet, and you still want me to help you with it. Besides, since he is no longer on duty in the Third Division, the resources he can directly mobilize are much less than before.

Wang Shao left Zhang Mansion that night and rode a horse most of the night back to the inn.

Wang Shao's son Wang Hou stood at the back door of the inn and heard the sound of horse hooves. He immediately opened the door and welcomed his father in.

But seeing his father Wang Shao in high spirits, he couldn't stop his joy.

Wang Hou took his father's riding whip and then greeted Wang Shao into the inn.

Wang Hou asked: "Has father seen Zhang Engong?"

Wang Shao nodded and said, "I saw it. After listening to what Zhang Zhengyan said, it is as expected by our father and son. The official is a hero who will make great achievements."
To be continued...