Chapter 744 Stars, moon, sun, stocks, rich people...

After seeing off the second and third fleets, Zhang Zhun returned to the Grand Governor's Office.

Logically speaking, as the Great Governor of the Hu Ben Army, Zhang Zhun's main time should have been spent in the Great Governor's Office. As long as the front line is controlled, it is fine. In fact, this is not the case. The current Hu Ben Army officer system has not yet fully grown, and Zhang Zhun cannot completely let go. Therefore, as long as it is a big war, he must appear on the front line.

Fortunately, it is finally possible to be quiet for a few days now. Ordinary small matters, several major generals can still be handled. For example, the war in Northern Zhili can be handled by Yang Zhiyuan. Different generals are in charge of Dezhou, Jinan, Qingzhou and other places. Tieshan and Pidao also have outstanding officers from the Tiger Ben Army, so there will be no major problems.

Zhang Zhun was relieved to be in the first fleet that went to Japan with Li Jicheng's command. Zhou Zhengyu was the one who led the second fleet, and Zhang Zhun was also relieved to be relieved. Zhang Haibin, who led the third fleet, was slightly inferior in combat experience, but it didn't matter. The Korean navy's strength was no match for the nine sword-toothed ships at all, so Zhang Zhun could also rest assured.

On the front line, Huang Taiji was still struggling. The Ming court was also actively planning something. However, Huang Taiji's purpose was mainly to leave Northern Zhili and return to the outside world. It was impossible for the Tiger Ben Army to continue to launch an active attack, unless Huang Taiji was confused and did not want to go back to the outside world safely.

As for the troubles of the Ming court, Zhang Zhun no longer cared about it. No matter how hard they tried, they could not make any tricks. Without enough strength, the more they tried, the faster they died. Why did the Ming Dynasty perish so quickly? It was all for Chongzhen to do so.

"Yulin, you are back."

Gao Hongtu smiled rare.

"Teacher, is there anything important?"

Zhang Zhun asked with concern.

"Isn't it the merit value you designed? There are a few details. I want to carefully consider it with you, but you always don't have time."

Gao Hongtu said gently.

"Okay! Let's study it carefully now!"

Zhang Zhun nodded and asked Gao Hongtu to sit down.

The so-called merit value is actually the form of the Hu Ben Army's own currency. Because of the Baochao, the people of the Ming Dynasty were quite disgusted with paper money. Therefore, it is absolutely impossible for the Hu Ben Army to issue paper money directly. No matter how perfect the design is, it can only be a cup of money under the rebellious mentality of the people. Fortunately, Zhang Zhun had played online games after all, and if his mind moved, the paper money would not work, so I would issue virtual currency. This merit value is virtual currency.

According to Zhang Zhun's regulations, all bulk transactions between outsiders and the Hu Ben Army, or internal transactions between the Hu Ben Army, are carried out in the form of merit value. This is a mandatory rule and everyone must abide by it. For example, if you want to open a shop in the Hu Ben Army controlled area, the first thing you have to do is to exchange some of your silver for success and mortgage them to the Hu Ben Army. Then all taxes, currency exchanges between shops and shops are settled with merit value, rather than cash transactions.

If you are an outsider who wants to participate in commercial trade in the area controlled by the Hu Ben Army, you also need to exchange your own silver for success and then trade with other merchants. In order to encourage more large merchants to use the merit value system, there are some rewards when redeeming. For example, materials with a price of 1,000 taels of silver can be bought with only 950 merit value, etc.

In the past, the merit value system was not very perfect. There were all problems in redemption and transactions, and it was not very convenient to operate, which hindered the scope of merit value promotion. Zhang Zhun then handed this matter to Gao Hongtu and carefully studied how to improve it so that more people and more regions could widely use this merit value system.

Gao Hongtu studied for a while and found some problems. He needed to carefully measure them with Zhang Zhun before he could issue an announcement and correct them. As a result, it was not until today that Zhang Zhun had time to sit down and discuss this issue. This governor was indeed a little busy, but this merit value system was created by Zhang Zhun, and Gao Hongtu did not know much about it.

After the two sat down, they began to discuss carefully.

Because the Hu Ben Army won steadily on the battlefield, the merit value was still popular with many big merchants to a certain extent. After all, after the silver exchange was successfully exchanged for the merit value, it did not need to be carried everywhere, which was more convenient than silver notes. As long as it was on the territory of the Hu Ben Army, the merit value system was universal.

Another advantage of using merit value is that there are points discounts and honorary titles. Needless to say, these detailed things were designed by Zhang Zhun. The main purpose is of course to attract more people to exchange silver for success merit value and encourage more people to use merit value system.

When you use merit value to a certain extent, you can get some discounts. For example, if a large merchant accumulates merit value of 100,000 points, it means that he trades 100,000 taels of silver. When he participates in trade in the future, he will get a price discount of 3% to 5%. When other conditions are the same, the Hu Ben Army will give priority to him as the trading target.

As for honorary titles, it is even simpler. The merit value system designed by Zhang Zhun has three levels: Stars, Moons, and Suns. Between each level, the twelve stars become a moon, and the twelve moons become a sun. The ancients generally believed that twelve is a perfect number, which is more perfect than the number ten.

As the number of merit values ​​increases, the honor of the big merchants will continue to increase. A merit value of 10,000 may only be one star. A merit value of 120,000 may become a moon. If the merit value reaches 1440,000, it can become a sun.

Basically, these stars, moon and sun represent the merchant's honor and economic strength. If you walk into a store and see two suns hanging in the store, then you can infer that the hidden strength of this store is at least three million taels of silver. On the contrary, if there is only one star in the store, you should be careful.

Merchants without strength may be unable to trade bulk businesses. Therefore, based on the number of stars, moon, and sun, merchants can also better find their own trading partners. A large merchant with two suns cannot have long-term trade with a small merchant with only two stars. Commercial trade often requires equality.

It seems that Chen Lingfei's Shen family has five moons, which is at least 600,000 taels of silver. Such strength is already the first-class in Shandong. If you want to do business with the Shen family, if you don't have two or three moons, you will be embarrassed to speak. If you don't even have a moon, then there is no need to say that, don't make any fun, right?

In other words, in Shandong, there are basically only a few people including Zhu Baowei, etc. What can others do if they want to do business with the Shen family? Of course, it is to improve their honor as much as possible. As long as you spend money desperately and increase your honor to about two months, there should be no problem.

Of course, it is not possible to want everyone to accept this seemingly strange merit value system. No matter what, the numbers recorded on the books are not as real as the gold, silver and copper plates in their pockets. Ordinary people are still willing to put the silver in their pockets and touch them from time to time, feeling heavy and at ease.

In fact, Zhang Zhun's original intention of designing the merit value system was to hold all these big merchants. To be more precise, he would hold all the silver on his ground and prevent the silver from Shandong from flowing out. At the same time, he tried his best to pull the silver outside over. Zhang Zhun's idea was very simple. As long as you hand over the silver to me for safekeeping, it would be in my pocket. If you want to go back, it would not be that easy.

To be serious, this idea is a bit dirty and a bit calculating for others. However, Zhang Zhun, who is short of money, had to take this approach. If you want your pocket to bulge, these necessary methods are indispensable. The penguin has cheated so many people, and now it is his turn to cheat others in reverse.

When it comes to meritorious value, the most critical and core issue is the exchange rate. The ratio originally stipulated by Zhang Zhun was to exchange one tael of silver for one merit value. Gao Hongtu felt that this amount was too large, which was not conducive to expanding the exchange range of merit value and must be reduced. In the end, the two determined that the exchange rate of merit value and metal currency was to exchange 1 tael of silver for 1,000 merit value, that is, 1 copper coin for 1 merit value.

The second core issue of merit value is the use of those silver. Through the exchange of merit value, Hu Benjun concentrated a large amount of silver in his hands. How to use these silver and what level to use, Gao Hongtu, who doesn't know much about economics, is really unsure. He is a little worried. If he doesn't do it well, it will be like Baochao, with a good starting point, but in the end he is disgusted by gods and ghosts, and his slut is changed when he hears the money.

Zhang Zhun seriously considered this issue. Some of the silver obtained from exchange must be sealed and kept in the warehouse and not used. The main purpose of this is to ensure that the merit value redemption system is normal. If someone wants to exchange all the merit value in his hands into silver, and the Hu Ben Army cannot produce so much silver, it will immediately cause the entire merit value redemption system to collapse. This principle is the same as a run for modern banks.

However, the silver collected cannot be kept in the warehouse and moldy! If this is the case, Zhang Zhun doesn't need to do such a set of things, just circulate it directly. One of the major purposes of the merit value system is to collect all these silver and do more things. For example, investment in modern concepts, or lending.

The special situation of the Hu Ben Army is that the merit value system is used internally and silver is continued to be used externally. Therefore, the silver collected by Zhang Zhun can continue to be used. As long as you ensure that you don’t lose money, it’s fine. For example, you use a large amount of silver to buy materials in Jiangnan and then sell them in other places. As long as there is enough profit, you can ensure that the silver will not be short.

Of course, Zhang Zhun is still strictly controlled by the proportion of merit value, and there will be no exaggerated expansion. Otherwise, this so-called merit value will eventually become a tragedy like Baochao. If the merit value is destroyed, the Hu Ben Army will make virtual currency in the future, and the result will be half the result with twice the effort.

"Yulin, I always feel that this merit value is a little different from Baochao?"

Suddenly, Gao Hongtu asked in confusion.

“It’s different.”

Zhang Zhun said with a smile.

In fact, the destroyed treasure banknotes are real currency and can be circulated freely. The merit value of the Hu Ben Army is a bit like a virtual currency in online games, and its scope and function are limited. From this perspective, it is a bit like Qidian coins. You must turn the currency into Qidian coins before you can perform the next operation. After it becomes Qidian coins, it is limited to the consumption of all items related to Qidian coins.

The merit value system is similar. As long as you exchange silver for successful merit value, you will lock in your relationship with the Hu Ben Army. To be precise, you can only do business with the Hu Ben Army. It is absolutely impossible for you to take the merit value and go to Jiangnan to do business. Is it possible for you to pick up the dot coins to play NetEase games? It is also very difficult to exchange merit value for money. How difficult is it? It requires Zhang Zhun's signature approval.

Because of these special reasons, it is destined that the scope of application of merit value is relatively small. To make more people and more regions accept and use merit value, greater efforts will be required. One day, merit value completely replaces metal currency, and a new currency system will naturally be formed.

"Yulin, you..."

Gao Hongtu finally knew the meaning behind this merit value and couldn't help but sigh softly. I don't know how Zhang Zhun came up with this cunning design. He had been an official for decades, but he could not think of such a cunning way to accumulate money.

Basically, this is a pirate ship. No matter who it is, as long as it gets on board, you won’t think of getting off. They can’t get off the boat, so they have to tie them together with the Hu Ben Army and advance and retreat together. When more and more merchants are tied to this pirate ship, the Hu Ben Army will become stronger and stronger in the economic field.

"The teacher has over-rewarded."

Zhang Zhun took Gao Hongtu's sigh without hesitation, but he felt a little dissatisfied in his heart. What is this? In the 21st century, there are so many ways to calculate others' pockets! I can just move out a few things, which will make you stunned.

"Sir, this is a plan for the establishment of several large-scale businesses."

After Gao Hongtu left, Hou Shanping followed.

After the establishment of the Great Governor's Office of the Huben Army, every department needed someone to be on duty. The main part of the Government Affairs Department was Gao Hongtu and Hou Shanping, and others often appeared in the local area. It seemed that Liu Hang was a professional firefighting captain. As long as Zhang Zhun felt it was necessary, he would go to the scene. Over the course of a year, he spent less than ten days in the Government Affairs Department.

What Hou Shanping sent was a plan for the establishment of several large-scale commercial banks. Needless to say, such suggestions must have been written by Zhang Zhunzhi again. The so-called commercial banks are actually large state-owned enterprises. Well, to be precise, they are enterprises owned by Hu Ben Army. It is just because the name of the commercial banks is easy to understand and is more acceptable to everyone, so they are still called commercial banks.

Zhang Zhun came from later generations and hated some state-owned enterprises not inferior to others. However, from the perspective of rulers, you have to admit that the existence of large state-owned enterprises is very necessary. These large state-owned enterprises have mastered the lifeblood of the economy, the national economy and people's livelihood, and the majority of productivity, which plays an important role in the rulers.

To this end, Zhang Zhun wanted to set up several large-scale commercial banks to manage economic fields such as mining, manufacturing, shipbuilding, fishing, and commercial trade. Their establishment model, like the state-owned enterprises in later generations, was directly under the jurisdiction of the Government Department of the Grand Governor's Government. In other words, it was directly subject to Zhang Zhun's jurisdiction.

Putting aside the ruler's perspective, from the perspective of economic development, it is also necessary to establish such large or super-large commercial banks. For example, the shipbuilding industry requires Zhang Zhun's strong intervention.

Xue Zhidie's shipyard is only responsible for manufacturing warships, not civilian ships. Zhang Zhun completely relaxed the civilian shipbuilding. The Ministry of Government once issued a decree to encourage private shipbuilding. On Wulong Bay, there are indeed several civilian shipyards that accept civilian orders and manufacture different civilian ships. However, their scale is still not large enough. The largest ships they can produce are all No. 2 Fu Ship, with a displacement of only about 300 tons and a transportation volume of about 1,500 stones. If they want to produce larger ships, they can do nothing.

It is obvious that ocean competition cannot be separated from the participation of a large number of merchant ships, especially those large merchant ships with displacement of more than 1,000 tons. These large merchant ships are the main force of maritime trade. Ocean trade, especially trans-ocean trade, if merchant ships with displacement of less than 1,000 tons are sailing, it is indeed very difficult to encounter strong winds and waves, and the possibility of overturning is very high.

For example, in East Asia, merchant ships with a displacement of less than 1,000 tons, that is, sailing in the East China Sea, the Yellow Sea, the South China Sea, the Sea of ​​Japan, the South China Ocean and other places. If you want to cross the Pacific Ocean or the Indian Ocean, it is very risky. The large sailing ships from Manila to Mexico all have a displacement of more than 1,500 tons. This is a hard technical indicator and it is impossible to adapt.

From a technical point of view, the Dutch big-bellied merchant ships are actually good. The big-bellied merchant ships have large displacements, basically above 1,200 tons, and the transportation volume is large, basically above 15,000 stones. There are few sailors needed, and each ship generally does not exceed 150 people. The ability to resist wind and waves is particularly strong. If the Hu Ben Army can be copied, it will be very beneficial for the Hu Ben Army's maritime transportation.

However, if you want to build such a shipyard, ordinary merchants do not have such financial capabilities. Xue Zhidie roughly calculated that the starting capital of a large civil shipyard like this would cost 100,000 taels of silver, not counting other subsequent expenses. The settlement method for shipbuilding is to pay 30% in the first phase, and the rest will be settled only after the ship falls into the water. In other words, the shipyard itself must advance funds. If the cost of manual and preparatory materials is included, it will not be possible to start without 300,000 taels of silver. This is unbearable for ordinary merchants.

Besides, they also have problems in terms of technology. How can ordinary merchants get construction information for Dutch merchant ships? If the Hu Ben Army has obtained relevant shipbuilding technology, it is impossible to provide them with free use. In addition, it also involves a confidentiality issue. After thinking about it, Zhang Zhun felt that it would be better to open some large shipyards himself, which are specifically responsible for building large and super-large merchant ships. There is another advantage in this, that is, when necessary, these large civilian shipyards can be converted into military products at any time.

"Is anyone willing to invest money?"

Zhang Zhun asked slowly.

The primary issue to establish a commercial bank is capital. Zhang Zhun is not planning to invest too much money in civilian shipyards, mainly in the form of private fundraising. A large business may not have such ability. A dozen, twenty, or even dozens, or hundreds of large businesses gather together, right?

"Sir, everyone is still a little confused about the investment you mentioned. Their reaction is not very positive, and they may have to wait and see for a while."

Hou Shanping said cautiously.

In order to develop his territory, Zhang Zhun really moved a lot of experience from later generations. He also moved the shareholding system from later generations. Zhang Zhun hoped to build a shipyard by issuing original stocks, raising development funds, and building a shipyard. However, the situation was not as optimistic as Zhang Zhun imagined. So far, he was preparing to raise 500,000 taels of silver, but only sold less than 50,000 taels of silver, less than 10%.

All prefectures in Shandong have a bit of congenital deficiencies, that is, there are too few rich people. Ordinary people are still working hard to make food and clothing. Before solving the problem of food and clothing, it is absolutely impossible for them to spend money and buy stocks. The rich people of the Ming Empire were either in the capital or in Jiangnan, and they were not trusted on both sides of Shandong, which was indeed a little depressed.

The private sector does not have enough funds, no matter how hard you make a fuss, it is impossible to make a mistake! Zhang Zhun estimated that the remaining 90% of the stocks can only be found in other places. It seems that we must find a place with more wealthy people.

"How is the preparation of the Yangzhou Chamber of Commerce?"

Zhang Zhun suddenly changed the subject and asked slowly.
Chapter completed!