Li Ye has also been in a good mood these days. The Western Expedition was victorious and his political deployment was completed. They also obtained a large amount of wealth as they wished, especially the wealth of the Saint Women's Society. All of it was obtained by Li Chenghua, which was equivalent to five years of the Tang Dynasty.
Wealth made Li Ye ecstatic.
Of course, there is another thing. Li Chenghua strongly recommended Princess Shi to enter the palace. He said that this girl combines the advantages of Eastern and Western beauties and is a rare treasure. Princes from all over the world want to marry her.
People came to ask for it. Such a description made Li Ye full of expectations.
During this period, Li Ye had been thinking about currency issues. Last year, he proposed to issue banknotes to Jiaozi. After being opposed by the Manchu civil and military officials, Li Ye also realized that the conditions for the discovery of banknotes in the Tang Dynasty were not yet mature, so he also canceled the issuance of banknotes.
idea.
But the reality is also here. The economy of the Tang Dynasty is currently experiencing deflation. We are seeing a vigorous recovery all over the world, but there is not enough money in the market. It is difficult for farmers to make money, it is difficult for businessmen to make money, and it is difficult for ordinary people to make money. Everyone complains that it is difficult to make money.
, where did all the money go?
In fact, Li Ye also knew that nearly half of the world's money was concentrated in Chang'an, and Chang'an was building a new city. Many wealthy families in the world came to buy land, and they all wanted to buy a house in the center of power for the family's children to use when they came to Beijing.
The expansion of Chang'an was like a huge whirlpool, sweeping away millions of copper coins from all over the world. It was also one of the reasons for the shortage of money all over the world.
But this is not the fundamental reason. The fundamental reason is that currency injection cannot keep up with the economic recovery of Datang.
But the currency of the Tang Dynasty was not paper money. You could print as many coins as you wanted. Copper coins had to be minted. At the peak of the Tang Dynasty, only 700,000 coins were minted in a year. Now they are far from recovering. Coins are minted in a year.
It’s only 400,000 yuan, I can’t keep up!
Another important reason is that the value of copper coins is too low. If gold and silver coins can be used, one silver coin is equivalent to five hundred coins, and one gold coin is equivalent to three guan coins, the problem of currency deflation can be solved.
It was impossible before, as the Tang Dynasty did not have so much gold and silver, but it is different now. With years of accumulation by the imperial court, and the support of Japan and the large gold and silver mines in the river, the conditions for issuing gold and silver coins have become mature.
At this time, the attendant reported at the door: "Your Majesty, the Prime Minister and Xiao Shangshu are here to see you!"
Li Ye nodded, "Announce their presence!"
Soon, Wei Jiansu, Zhang Li and Xiao Hua hurried in, bowed and saluted, "See your majesty!"
Li Ye smiled slightly and said: "Without courtesy, you three dear ladies, please take a seat!"
The three of them sat down and Li Ye asked again: "Is there any news about Liu Shangshu?"
Wei Jiansu nodded, "I got the news yesterday afternoon that he took hundreds of thousands of victims by boat to Liaodong."
This is Liu Yan's style. He works meticulously and conscientiously, and likes to implement things personally, so he also wants to go to Liaodong. This is of course the best, but Liu Yan is also tired.
"It looks like he won't be back until the end of the year!"
"Your Majesty, Liaodong is a major event. If the resettlement is not done properly and the victims flee back from Liaodong, it will be difficult to relocate the people to Liaodong in the future. Liu Shangshu should have this idea, and Wei Chen fully supports him."
Li Ye nodded, "In that case, will the imperial court dispatch more officials from Hebei? There is no shortage of supplies, but I am worried that Liu Shangshu will be short of manpower."
"Wei Chen obeys the order and will make arrangements today!"
Only then did the three of them turn the topic to today's topic.
Zhang Li leaned over and smiled: "Your Majesty, the court has recently heard that a large amount of gold and silver will be shipped from the Western Regions. Can you tell us how much it is?"
"The amount is huge. The Saintess Guild of Light has 12 million taels of silver. We demolished a temple built with silver and weighed it. In addition, the Saintess Guild has 50 million gold coins."
"So many?" The three of them were shocked.
Li Ye smiled and said: "This is the wealth accumulated by the Saintess Society in seventy years. If they did not recruit an army, the wealth would be even greater. People die for money and birds die for food. It is because the Saintess Society has so much
Wealth is what finally leads to destruction. Even if it is not robbed by the Sogdian countries, it will be robbed by the Great Eclipse sooner or later."
"Your Majesty, isn't it more than just the Saintess Society's wealth?"
Li Ye smiled slightly and said: "There is also the gold inventory in Bukhanna. I have seen it with my own eyes. There are hundreds of gold Buddhas in the treasury, the smallest weighing more than ten kilograms. There are also various gold products, shining with golden light.
, it’s simply dazzling. Back then, they paid tribute to the Supreme Emperor, a large golden cauldron weighing over a thousand kilograms, which is still in my inner treasury. In addition, there is also Shiguo’s silver inventory, which is about 6.5 million taels, and other wealth.
, seizing Sabah’s wealth, etc.”
As the Minister of Household Affairs, Xiao Hua was so happy that he couldn't close his mouth. This was equivalent to the Tang Dynasty's fiscal revenue for many years!
He suddenly remembered something and asked quickly: "Your Majesty, can you transport it back in one go?"
"Of course, one hundred thousand camels are enough!"
At this time, Wei Jiansu smiled and said: "In this case, we can start issuing gold and silver coins. What do you think, Your Majesty?"
Li Ye nodded, "The issuance of new currency is a major event, which means the redistribution of wealth. We must consider it thoroughly, have clear regulations, and take into account the consequences of each. I am most worried about two things. One is that after investing in the market,
It will be stored by large households and will not play the role of regulating currency value. Secondly, there is a worry about loopholes in the exchange rate, and people will seize the loopholes and make a fortune. These two problems, I estimate, are the first problems that will be encountered after issuing gold and silver currency.
Big problem.”
The three of them looked at each other, and Wei Jiansu smiled and said, "Your Majesty, these two issues were discussed in our discussion this morning."
"Oh? Tell me what you think of these two issues?"
Wei Jiansu winked at Xiao Hua, and Xiao Hua bowed and said: "Your Majesty, when gold and silver coins are put into the market, they will definitely be stored by wealthy families because they are more convenient, easier to carry and pass on to family members. This is inevitable. I believe it.
Even a humble minister would not save a cellar of copper coins without exchanging them for gold and silver. This is just an inference we take for granted. The reality may not be like this, because there is a major problem, that is, the value of the currency. Now one or two
Gold can be exchanged for thirty guans, and one tael of silver can be exchanged for three guans. However, during the Tianbao period, one tael of gold can only be exchanged for ten guans, and one tael of silver can only be exchanged for one guan. It was the war that caused the rise of gold and silver.
With the gradual stabilization and revival of the Tang Dynasty and the influx of large amounts of gold and silver, gold and silver will definitely return to the levels of the Tianbao period.
In fact, this trend has been seen for a long time. It is not obvious in gold, but it is most obvious in silver. In the year when An Lushan occupied Chang'an, silver rose to one to seven, and one tael of silver was exchanged for seven guan. After the Anshi Rebellion, the price slowly dropped.
When it reaches 1:5, it dropped to 1:3 the year before last. Then the group of people who exchanged silver that year suffered a big loss. These people are wealthy families. If gold and silver coins are issued, will they come back?"
Wei Jiansu smiled and said: "Xiao Shangshu is right, not only silver, but also gold. I remember at the highest time, one tael of gold could be exchanged for fifty guan of money. Now one tael of gold can be exchanged for 30 guan of money. Although it is not as good as silver
That cut in half, but also suffered heavy losses. On the contrary, the value of copper coins is very stable. Since His Majesty entered Chang'an, the price of fifty cents has not changed. Weichen Tianbao sold a pair of cloth shoes for eight years for fifty cents, and now he buys the same pair.
Cloth shoes are still fifty cents."
Li Ye nodded, "As long as people believe that the exchange rate of gold and silver for copper coins is gradually declining, no one will hoard gold and silver anymore?"
Zhang Li smiled and said: "So I want to publicize to everyone that the imperial court has obtained a huge gold and silver mine in the river, and there will be a steady stream of gold and silver transported to Chang'an. As long as everyone has this understanding, then the situation of hoarding gold and silver will not
will happen.”
Xiao Hua added: "After a few years, when the exchange rate of gold and copper coins returns to one to ten, consistent with the Tianbao period, some people may start to hoard gold and silver, but at that time, there will be enough gold and silver in the market.
If you have more, you won't be afraid of hoarding. After all, hoarding gold and silver requires more copper coins."
Li Ye walked a few steps with his hands behind his back: "I need a stable currency value. The currency value must be controlled by the court. Do not increase or decrease it easily. Even if it returns to the ratio of Tianbao years, I hope it will take a long time.
For one or two generations, as long as the currency is stable, no one will speculate."
Wei Jiansu smiled bitterly and said: "Actually, what we are really worried about is that the source of gold and silver is unstable. If the war in the river breaks out again, it will definitely affect the mining and smelting of gold and silver."
Li Ye smiled slightly and said: "My fleet is looking for gold and silver overseas. Don't worry! There will only be more and more gold and silver in the future."
