Let's drag the picture back to Tianfu and the Forbidden City.
In the Jingren Hall of the East Palace, Zhu Yunxi was meeting with Lian Zining, who had just been promoted to Minister of Works.
Lian Zining was in his early forties, and he had the elegance of a scholar and the ability of a capable minister. At this time, the people chosen by the Ming Dynasty were not those nerds who could only read, let alone those later scholars with evil intentions. Although now in the local officialdom
, there are some flaws in the administration. But most of the officials in the central government are upright people.
Sir, please see His Highness Taisun!
No need to be polite! Zhu Yunxi always thought highly of these loyal ministers and righteous men in history. He smiled gently and said, "Give me a seat!"
I would like to thank His Highness for your recommendation! Lian Zining sat down and said, "I am stupid, so I can only bow down and die exhausted!"
Having said this, you are just a minister now and you are about to die! Do you still expect to be a bigger official for you in the future? Zhu Yunxi smiled and said, you are in the Ministry of Works, in charge of coinage, right?
It is a matter of ministerial duty! Lian Zining replied, Your Highness is interested in minting coins? He said, his expression paused, and he said seriously, Your Highness, there is no money shortage in the Ming Dynasty. The matter of coining involves local mining and expropriation of households.
.........
This is the kind of ministers Zhu Yunxi likes. Good ministers are not always wise men. A good minister must first let the monarch see the harm of what he does, and cannot report good things but not bad things.
It's not a copper coin! Zhu Yunxi interrupted the other party and said with a smile, "Come forward and see what this is?"
Lian Zining stepped forward and saw a fifty-tael silver ingot placed on Zhu Yunxi's imperial desk.
This is the treasury silver of the Ministry of Revenue. I borrowed a piece of silver! Zhu Yunxi said with a smile.
Your Highness, do you want to make silver coins? Lian Zining suddenly had an idea and said, but although silver is good, it is still scarce among the people. People still pay taxes mainly with copper coins for food and cloth!
This is not yet the era when the great voyage is coming and silver is pouring in from all over the world. But silver has been used as currency since ancient times.
Farmers and common people did not have it, but I heard that merchants in various places in the south of the Yangtze River had begun to use silver to convert money. Zhu Yunxi said that silver was easy to carry and would not depreciate. Those maritime merchants who came to the Ming Dynasty to buy things also used silver.
I have heard a little bit about it, but the silver among the people is of mixed colors...
This is the reason why Gu wants to mint coins! Zhu Yunxi said with a smile, the silver in the household department is collected from scattered silver taels and then re-smelted and cast. The fineness is the best after it is made, but the loss is also great. Often ten taels of silver,
In the end, I could only get eight or nine taels of pure silver. Hasn’t the country suffered a loss since then?
Moreover, among the people, due to the mixed quality of silver, it has been difficult to have a clear conversion standard, which is not conducive to circulation and exchange. It is okay for merchants to be wealthy locals, but if they are from a small family and have silver of poor quality in their hands, they often cannot exchange it for copper coins.
Proportion of official price.
They can't exchange it, but the local government can profit from it, charge according to the official price, and then use the deducted money to line their own pockets. Then turn over the low-quality silver to the national treasury. Isn't this an endless cycle?
It is not very beneficial to the country or the people, so I just thought that the country could simply make coins and unify the measurement, style, and weight. It would not only facilitate exchange, but also facilitate circulation. Why not?
Making silver coins is actually not difficult at all. The ancients could think of using copper to make money, but how could they not think of using silver to make money? It is convenient and eliminates some hidden loopholes.
It's not that I didn't think of it but didn't do it. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, silver was used as the national currency. If the specifications and exchange rate of silver were unified, wouldn't the officialdom lose a large amount of income? If it is not settled now, it will be a waste of silver in the future.
When things are added to the people's heads, even the gods can't touch the cake.
(The consumption of money by fire began in the Ming Dynasty. Most of the officials in the Ming Dynasty were really incapable of fighting and running the country, but the name of collecting money was first-rate.)
As the saying goes, reform must be carried out as early as possible. Problems cannot be left to become unsolvable problems later.
Lian Zining pondered for a moment, but the imperial court's production of silver coins might cause a sharp increase in the price of silver.
Mint less and mint more, and mint secretly. The only thing that will increase in price is silver coins! Zhu Yunxi has long expected this. Now the ratio of the official price of silver and copper coins in the Ming Dynasty is one to one thousand. In fact, in some places among the people, it is one to one.
One thousand and two. If the price of silver increases, the exchange rate will definitely change.
However, Zhu Yunxi believed that when the exquisite silver coins flowed into the market, the exchange rate would soon stabilize. Even if the price increased, the imperial court's silver coins would also increase.
Besides, farmers don't have silver in their hands at this time, and they don't need to exchange it for silver to pay taxes. Even if the price increases, they won't be hurt. But once the silver coins start circulating, they will benefit instead.
(The Ming Dynasty started with Zhang Juzheng's whip method, and people paid taxes with money. This whip temporarily eased the Ming Dynasty's finances, but in fact, the oppression of the lower class people became even more severe.)
Your Highness, coinage is not a trivial matter. I think we should summon the Minister of Household Affairs, the Minister of Industry and others to discuss the matter together! Lian Zining thought about it and said cautiously.
This is natural. I told you that I am not going to let you do it with great fanfare right away. Instead, I will let you make a look and a real thing first! As he said that, Zhu Yunxi drew a circle on the paper with a pen. Look, the copper coin
It has a square hole. As for silver coins, we don’t have to do that. It’s better to just make them round.
Yin Gui, that's how it should be! Lian Zining said.
A silver coin weighs one tael. It doesn't have to be all silver. It can be 70 to 80% of the silver and the remainder mixed with copper, etc.! Zhu Yunxi smiled and said, I am just giving an idea. After all, if it is decided, what proportion should be used, we have to brainstorm.
.
If there is adulteration, then the court can benefit from it! Lian Zining thought about it, this item may be worth millions of pure silver every year! However, if there is less silver, it will definitely affect the prestige of the court. According to
I see, at least eight and a half percent of silver and one and a half percent of copper are required!
This minister of the Ministry of Industry made the right choice!
Zhu Yunxi admired in his heart and said, "Today you and I will decide on the appearance first. There is nothing on the round silver coin and it doesn't look good. What should we engrave on it?"
As he spoke, he pondered slightly. On the back, Hongwu Tongbao is written on the top, bottom, left and right, and in the middle is a picture of the sun, moon and stars. On the front, how about using portraits?
Portrait? Lian Zining thought for a moment, but carved the portrait of His Royal Highness on the silver coin?
I do! But the old man is still here. If I carve my face on it, the old man won’t slap me!
I cursed twice in my heart, and said with a serious look on my face, do you think it is appropriate to be alone?
Lian Zining thought about it and exclaimed, Your Majesty? As he said that, he suddenly became excited. If it were His Majesty's Royal Prime Minister, the price of silver coins would probably rise again and again! At the beginning, the stamps, which were only His Majesty's Royal Pen, were sold out! As he said this,
, became frightened again, but Your Majesty, does Your Majesty know about this?
Engraving the emperor's portrait privately is a capital offense!
If you have Gu's support, feel free to go ahead and do it boldly! Zhu Yunxi said with a smile, "Grandpa Huang, I have Gu come to tell you, and when the sample is made, it will be a surprise for him!"
With Zhu Yunxi's words, Lian Zining felt relieved. Civil servants all knew how much the emperor doted on his grandson, let alone making silver coins and carving statues. Even the grandson who set the Forbidden City on fire was probably worth just a few shoe soles.
son's affairs.
However, according to His Highness's method of making the mold, what is the labor cost for the mold? Lian Zining wonders, the Ministry of Revenue may not be willing to pay this money!
Use Gu's private room! Zhu Yunxi smiled and said, when he was the king of Wu, the old man's reward included eight hundred catties of gold. Now there is a lot of gold and silver in the large treasury of the East Palace.
With that said, Zhu Yunxi waved his hand, bastard, bring the portrait!
Among all the portraits of the old man, Zhu Yunxi chose the most majestic one.
Carve it according to this picture, do you understand? Zhu Yunxi continued, "Look back, calculate how much money you need, and let the bastard give it to you!"
Minting actually has two meanings. The first one is indeed for economic circulation, but the second one is to divert the old man's attention. With new things, the old man's attention is on people's livelihood. Maybe Lan Yu and others,
It doesn't look so dead.
Hey, that's not right! After Lian Zining went down, Zhu Yunxi suddenly looked a little weird. This silver coin is an imitation of the silver dollar of later generations. The silver dollar is called Yuan Datou. After the Ming Dynasty silver dollar is cast, will it be called Zhu Datou?
Well, Zhu Datou may be the old man. When his profile picture is hung in the future, he may be called Zhu Xiaotou!
After Lian Zining retreated, Zhu Yunxi's originally smiling face looked a little tired.
tired!
I get up early in the morning to study, then I have to meet with ministers and review memorials. At the end of the day, I fall on the bed and fall asleep in a short time.
Obviously I didn't do any heavy work, but I was exhausted physically and mentally and couldn't do anything else.
The old man wants a grandchild! Zhu Yunxi sat and sighed in his heart, if this continues, his eldest grandchild will be exhausted, and how can he have the energy to have a little grandchild!
Just as he was thinking about it, there were slight footsteps behind him, and a pair of gentle hands gently rubbed Zhu Yunxi's temples.
Zhu Yunxi glanced at the skirt of the visitor and said with a smile, you are here!
Has His Highness eaten? Zhao Ning'er smiled.
Not yet, I will eat it later! Zhu Yunxi leaned his head back, closed his eyes and enjoyed the massage, and said, you are the mistress of the East Palace, and you are too plain! There are so many good clothes, so you have to wear ordinary cloth.
.
After Zhao Ning'er entered the palace, she did not change due to her noble status. She still wore simple clothes and no jewelry.
It was Concubine Hui who told me that Your Majesty likes simple and unassuming women! Zhao Ning'er said with a smile.
What did she say? When Zhu Yunxi opened his eyes, what else did she say?
Concubine Hui told the concubine your majesty and your preferences. She said that your majesty respected the late empress the most throughout her life and was the most proud of the princesses among the wives. She said that these two are role models for women in the world. They are simple people, even if they are the mother of the country,
He also takes care of the housework with his own hands. Not only that, he is also considerate and kind to his servants!
Zhu Yunxi smiled and grabbed his wife's hand. No wonder the old man looked at you with admiration as soon as you entered the palace. Feelings are behind the scenes, someone will give you advice! He said meaningfully, Concubine Hui also has good intentions!
But I always feel uneasy in my heart! Zhao Ning'er whispered.
What's so unsettling? You were appointed by the Emperor's grandpa. Besides, your nature is like this, and you didn't do it on purpose?
What Chen Concubine said was unreliable, and that’s not what I said! Zhao Ning’er whispered, why did Concubine Hui say this to Chen Concubine? And she always pointed out the words to Chen Concubine, so that Chen Concubine would remember how good she is! She
She is already a noble concubine. Even if she is the elder of the concubine in the future, she must be treated with courtesy. Why is she like this? As the saying goes, people must have their expectations when being polite. Although the concubine is from a small family, but
I still understand the ways of the world.
You can think of this, I am very happy! Zhu Yunxi clapped her hand and said.
In fact, he didn't understand. Concubine Hui had always been very kind to him, but there was no need to fawn over Zhao Ning'er so much. She was already a noble concubine, so what was she afraid of? What did she want to ask for? What did she want?
There is only one possibility. Empress Hui Fei is buying double insurance. She bought herself and bought the future queen. If one day she encounters a difficulty that she cannot overcome, both of them will help her!
As for what the hurdle is, Zhu Yunxi has actually already guessed it!
Concubine Hui has no bad intentions, but you can't listen to her when there are things. How you live and what you do depends on your own heart. You don't have to deliberately behave in front of the old man or the lonely man. The old man chose you to be the leader.
Granddaughter-in-law, it’s not for those little things. Zhu Yunxi continued, just talk to me about these things, don’t talk to others!
Husband and wife are of the same mind, I can only talk to you! Zhao Ning'er said softly, I won't talk to others!
Husband and wife are of the same mind!
Zhu Yunxi smiled, turned to face Zhao Ning'er, raised his head and said with a smile, I have been too busy these days and I have neglected you!
Zhao Ning'er was slightly shy, lowered her head and said, Your Highness, these are state affairs...
While we have time now, let's study the matter of our little grandson! Zhu Yunxi laughed twice, what a shame!
The slave is here!
Get out!
yes!
~~~A colleague said that if he wants to sit on my passenger seat, will he give me a seat?