Gao Shi couldn't help but ask: "Since we can't ban coins from going to sea, how can we solve the money shortage?"
The most uncomfortable thing in the world is not knowing where the crux is, but what's even more uncomfortable is knowing that the crux is a deadlock that can't be solved no matter what.
Jiangnan was short of money, which was already a dead end. Only then did Gao Shi become ill and went to the doctor in a hurry to ask Li Daoyuan.
Li Daoyuan said categorically: "The simplest way is to earn back the money you have lost."
"Earn it back?"
"Yes, it is through trade to get money back from countries like Silla, Fuso and Nanyang!"
Gao Shi thought about it and realized that this was indeed a path he had never thought of.
I only heard Li Daoyuan say: "Excuse me, my father-in-law, do you know that when these foreign businessmen come to Yangzhou, they will bring back a boatload of goods?"
Gao Shi nodded. Yangzhou was also an important town for southeastern trade. You could actually see foreigners buying goods. They would fill the cabins of their ships and bring back goods from the Tang Dynasty.
Li Daoyuan said: "Isn't that right? Datang's goods are also easy to sell in these countries. The money can be transported out of Datang, and naturally it can be earned back from them through trade!"
Gao Shi listened to Li Daoyuan's words, and the more he listened, the more feasible he felt.
Yes, since these foreign businessmen cannot be prevented from leaving with Datang's money, then Datang can also do business with these countries and take back Datang coins in their markets.
Gao Shi had long heard from merchants that if silk and porcelain from the Tang Dynasty were shipped to Fusang, Silla, the price would double. If they were shipped to Southeast Asian countries, the price would be several times higher.
Gao Shi thought of another thing and said, "But the Forbidden Sea?"
The sea ban was an order issued during the Emperor's reign because the Japanese envoys sent to the Tang Dynasty were annihilated on several sea crossings. Dong Yao, the minister of the Ministry of Industry of the Tang Dynasty who escorted the Japanese envoys sent to the Tang Dynasty back to Japan, encountered a storm in the South China Sea on a ship and almost lost his life.
After Dong Yao returned to Chang'an, he told the emperor that he had seen the "Gate of Hell" in the South China Sea, and the emperor ordered a ban on official ships of the Tang Dynasty going to sea.
If we are engaged in overseas trade, we will impose a maritime ban on official ships going to sea.
Obviously this is not something that Gao Shi can decide alone.
At this time, Li Daoyuan said with a smile: "Official ships are prohibited from going to sea, but foreign merchants can travel to and from the Tang Dynasty."
Gao Shi nodded, this was obviously a BUG in the Forbidden Sea.
The Tang Dynasty prohibited official ships and civilian ships from going to sea, but foreign ships could dock in port cities.
In fact, everyone tacitly agrees that many of the large merchants active in Yangzhou and Quanzhou are from the Tang Dynasty.
Just to facilitate sea trade, ships were anchored under certain small countries.
Some fleets were even directly listed under the made-up country and did business as foreigners in the Tang Dynasty.
Gao Shi seemed to have opened up a new world. In the past, these maritime merchants came to Datang to do business. Why not let Datang do business in their country?
These countries all use the currency of the Tang Dynasty, and the goods of the Tang Dynasty are also very popular in these areas, so it is just a matter of getting the money back through trade.
Gao Shi was a little excited. He didn't expect that the problem that had troubled him for a long time would be solved by Daming Temple, a young scholar.
But there was one last question. Gao Shi couldn't help but ask: "But sea trade is risky, and ships can easily capsize. The navy of the imperial court needs to guard the port and cannot go to sea casually. Is there anyone among the people willing to risk going to sea?"
By the time Gao Shi asked this question, Li Daoyuan had basically confirmed that the person in front of him was Gao Shi, the military governor of Huainan and a famous poet in the Tang Dynasty.
Only the Huainan Jiedushi would ask such a question.
After knowing that the other party was Gao Shi, Li Daoyuan became calmer.
I have never seen any kind of high official, but the aura of Gao Shi, a great poet, is more attractive.
However, Gao Shi was also a conscientious high-ranking official. The money shortage in the southeast was indeed a problem that plagued the Tang Dynasty. Li Daoyuan also wanted the people in Jiangnan to live a better life.
Li Daoyuan said: "I once saw a book about Dashi's shipbuilding. Dashi people can build large ships that can sail on the sea. Those big ships can transport goods across the sea."
"Actually, Da Shi's ship-building technology is not much better than that of the Tang Dynasty. As long as there are skilled workers, ships can be built."
Gao Shi nodded. He had seen a man-eating ship in the harbor.
It is said that this ship set sail from Tianzhu and sailed around the southern coastline of the Tang Dynasty before arriving in Yangzhou. These strange Tianzhu merchant ships can sail on the sea for a long time and can withstand the invasion of wind and waves.
There used to be merchants from the Tang Dynasty who wanted to buy this kind of Dashi ship, but unfortunately the Dashi merchants refused to sell it, and only Dashi shipwrights could build such ships.
Gao Shi was overjoyed. He didn't expect that this young man actually had a book on Dashi shipbuilding. If a safe Dashi merchant ship could really be built, more people would go to sea among the people.
The next step is how to encourage people to go overseas for trade and earn Datang's money back from these countries.
Li Daoyuan said: "As for how to encourage people to go overseas, that's not what Xiaosheng is good at, but I do know one or two friends who are proficient in finance and I can ask them for advice."
Gao Shi knew that this harvest was big enough, so he quickly asked: "Can I take this book about Dashi's shipbuilding with me? Can I give it a look?"
Li Daoyuan spread his hands and said, "I didn't bring it with me."
Gao Shi was a little disappointed, but he didn't expect Li Daoyuan to continue:
"But Xiaosheng has a photographic memory and can recite the contents of the book silently."
Gao Shi was overjoyed and said quickly: "I won't hide it from you, sir. I am Gao Shi, the military governor of Huainan. I have benefited a lot from talking with you today. I don't know your name and where you are from?"
Li Daoyuan pretended to be frightened and said: "Li Daoyuan is a young man from Longyou."
"Li Lang, if you can present a book on Dashi's shipbuilding skills, it will be a great contribution to the people of Jianghuai and the Tang Dynasty. I will definitely recommend you to the imperial court in this section!"
Li Daoyuan said: "I have no intention of fame, but I would like to thank Jiedushi for his kindness. I can write down the book on Dashi Shipbuilding right now."
After speaking, Gao Shi quickly called the young monk, brought a pen, ink, paper and inkstone, spread it out and asked Li Daoyuan to write silently.
In fact, in order to go to sea, Li Daoyuan had already studied shipbuilding.
Civilizations that have used wooden ships for ocean voyages in history include European, Arab and Chinese civilizations.
During Zheng He's seven voyages to the Western Seas during the Ming Dynasty, he took treasure ships capable of ocean voyages.
It's a pity that all the information about the treasure ship has been lost, and the treasure ship's hull is very large and requires a lot of precious century-old wood.
Given the current situation in Datang, it is difficult to obtain these large timbers in Jianghuai.
After discussion among the players, the Arabian sloping sailboat is the best choice for sailing in the East Asian waterways.
Li Daoyuan wrote down the information he collected on the spot, and even drew the shipbuilding drawings one stroke at a time.
Gao Shi was greatly surprised by Li Daoyuan's "photographic memory" ability, and once again expressed regret for his decision not to participate in the imperial examination.
After Li Daoyuan wrote a shipbuilding manual, Gao Shi finally believed Li Daoyuan's statement. This was a ship that could go far into the ocean, almost identical to those ocean-going sailing ships that sailed to the seaport near Yangzhou.
Gao Shi left his name on the post and told Li Daoyuan that as long as his friend figured out how to let people go to sea to do business and earn money, he would immediately go to the Jiedushi Mansion to find him, and then left Daming Temple with his family.
Li Daoyuan quickly contacted Jiang Lun who was far away in Longyou and told Jiang Lun his experience.
Hearing Li Daoyuan's narration, Jiang Lun couldn't help but said: "Old Li Qian is so awesome. Traveling can trigger so many tasks. This time is also a big task!"
The Jiedushi of Huainan was the most prosperous region in the Tang Dynasty. Although the Jiedushi in Jiangsu and Zhejiang areas were not as independent as those in border areas, the imperial court often rotated the Jiedushi in these areas.
But this is also the person with the most power in the Tang Dynasty. If you can increase their favorability, you can complete the tasks casually.
Sure enough, a high-end player is a high-end player. Li Daoyuan can trigger such a big mission while traveling alone.
Jiang Lun thought for a while and said: "Maritime trade is hugely profitable. In fact, as long as Jianghuai is willing to let go, people will still be willing to go to sea to do business. It is not difficult to let people go to sea. What is difficult is how to get the merchants to use Datang's money.
Transport it back."
Li Daoyuan quickly recorded it, only to hear Jiang Lun say: "In normal trade, merchants buy goods from Datang, then transport them to Silla or Fuso for sale, and then buy local specialties from these countries, and then transport them to Datang for sale.
"
"If this is the case, not only will ocean trade not allow money to flow back to the Tang Dynasty, but it will also cause a greater problem of money shortage due to wealth and money shortage."
Li Daoyuan asked: "What should we do?"
"One is to issue credit currency, that is, banknotes, just like what I wanted to do in Longyou. The cost of minting banknotes is very low. It is a good thing for us to encourage foreign businessmen to use banknotes. This is equivalent to them converting currency
All power was given to Longyou."
"Think about the U.S. dollar hegemony in later generations, which relies on the minting power of credit currency."
"But this doesn't work in Huainan. Datang lacks modern government and financial and technical officials, so it is too difficult to issue credit currency." "What other methods are there?"
Jiang Lun said: "The other way is to refer to what the Spaniards did back then, and use precious metals such as gold and silver as the main goods. Doesn't Fuso have gold mountains? Isn't there also a lot of silver mines in Nanyang? If the merchants of the Tang Dynasty brought gold and silver with them every time they traded,
Returning gold and silver will solve the problem of large currency tensions. And..."
Li Daoyuan asked: "And what?"
Jiang Lun said: "Moreover, currencies based on copper coins in the Tang and Song Dynasties are very detrimental to economic development. You can try to implement silver-standard currency reform in Jianghuai."
Li Daoyuan said desperately: "I can't understand what you are saying!"