The ruthless emperor at the end of Ming Dynasty forced Chongzhen to abdicate at the beginning Chapter 172 The Court Guys Have to Go to the Bank to Open an Account in Person
Chapter 172 The Court Guys Have to Go to the Bank to Open an Account in Person
Chapter 172 You have to go to the bank to open an account in person
The Royal Bank in Dingyuan County has only been established for more than a month, and its manager is also a woman.
However, they were local geishas recruited from Nanzhili. After being uniformly trained in Nanjing, they were sent to various prefectures and counties.
Thanks to the flourishing literary style in Jiangnan, the two middle-aged stewards in the bank are proficient in arithmetic, and even a few clerks can read some simple words.
There are only twelve people in the bank including bodyguards. It is located in a mansion in the city. If it weren't for the plaque hanging outside the door, it would be hard to tell that this was a bank.
The Royal Bank, which used to be crowded at the entrance, is now overcrowded, with hundreds of people queuing up in long lines, talking incessantly, and full of curiosity in their hearts.
These people are naturally the officials of Dingyuan County. As long as they have official status and rank, they all come.
Even the unofficial servants were joining in the fun, with envious looks on their faces.
These handymen without official status are now collectively referred to as Bai Shen, and they are the only people in various yamen who have not been transferred.
There are not many such people in the yamen. Many of them are city gangsters hired temporarily during tax collection.
After a long queue, Xu Fu looked excited when he saw that it was finally his turn.
Since I had just seen what was going on with the person in front of me, I quickly clasped my fists and said before the female shopkeeper could ask: "I am Xu Fu, the head arrester in the execution room, ninth rank, serial number, A 153768.
This is an official document granted to you by the Ministry of Personnel." He took out an official document from his arms, unfolded it carefully and handed it to her.
"Um!"
When the female shopkeeper saw that he didn't ask, he spoke clearly and nodded appreciatively. She took the document and checked it, then started searching in the booklet on the table.
It only took a moment to find Xu Fu's name and related information. Seeing that all the items were correct and the documents were genuine, he took a red booklet from the side.
After writing and sealing, he handed the booklet, official documents, and the bank's identity certificate back to him and said: "This booklet is your bank account book, and this voucher is the bank's identity authentication."
, both cannot be damaged or lost. Once damaged or lost, you must immediately take the official documents and the certificate issued by the county magistrate and come to the bank to get a new one. At the end of each month, take your account book and identity certificate to the bank to collect your monthly salary.
Do you understand? Do you remember everything clearly?"
"I understand, may I ask, how much is my monthly salary? Is it really money?" Xu Fu nodded after taking the official booklet and voucher, and then asked expectantly.
"You are a member of the ninth rank, with a monthly salary of five taels. Isn't it stated in the notice from the Ministry of Personnel?"
"I told you, I just want to make sure. Can I give you some money now?"
"Today we are only responsible for account opening verification. You can come to the bank tomorrow with your account book and identity certificate to collect your April salary." the female shopkeeper explained.
"Is there really a bonus every year?"
Hearing that he could come to collect the money tomorrow, Xu Fu asked again excitedly.
"I don't know about this. I'm just the bank manager. I'm only responsible for certifying your account opening and paying your salary in accordance with the orders and regulations of the Nanjing Head Office. I don't care about anything else."
"Then is this salary issued by the court or by the bank?"
This was what everyone wanted to ask, so after Xu Fu finished asking, almost all the people in the queue looked at the female shopkeeper.
Recalling what Her Royal Highness the Princess told her when she went to Nanjing for a meeting, the female shopkeeper simply put down her brush and explained: "Your salary is naturally distributed by the imperial court, but Your Majesty is worried that officials at all levels will deduct your salary, so he asked the Ministry of Accounts to entrust the Royal Bank
, is responsible for distributing it to all officials, that is to say, the Ministry of Accounts will first send the money and the list to the head office every month, and the head office will send it to each branch, and the sub-branches will send it to each branch. Finally, the branch will make an announcement and you can collect it by yourself."
Although the female shopkeeper explained it very clearly, everyone was still confused and didn't understand.
"Okay, it doesn't matter if you don't understand. You just need to use the voucher account to receive your salary every month."
The female shopkeeper saw that there were many people behind her, and she was afraid that she would be busy until the evening, so she didn't want to delay any more. She had already explained this, but they couldn't understand it themselves.
"Then what if the bank deducts our salary?" Xu Fu thought for a while, then gritted his teeth and asked. Obviously this question was what all the officials wanted to ask, so they all looked at the female shopkeeper.
"When the bank distributes your salary every month, it will issue you a voucher and ask you to sign and pledge it. If the money you receive does not match the notice from the Account Department, you can report it to the Account Department with the voucher. You should all be literate, right?"
The female shopkeeper explained angrily.
No one expected that the bank and account department had thought so carefully, and they were all very happy.
Xu Fu accused the female shopkeeper again and then left.
When Wu Hong from the county government heard the servant's report, he was so shocked that he almost spit out the tea in his mouth.
There was a look of disbelief on his face: "What did you say? The bank manager actually asked me to come to handle the matter in person?"
"Returning to your lord, that's what the female shopkeeper said indeed. She also said that your private account requires a grade-level official document granted by the Ministry of Personnel. The public account of the county government requires the seal of the county government, and the appointment of the person by the Ministry of Personnel.
The official documents from the Dingyuan County magistrate must be sent in person, and everything is indispensable." The servant replied carefully.
"This is totally unreasonable. You go there again and tell the female shopkeeper to come to the county government office to handle it for me!"
Wu Hong banged the tea cup on the table. If this bank was not run by the royal family, he would have to seal it up and put the woman in jail with a few slaps on her face.
"yes!"
The slave had to go to the bank again.
After only half an hour, he hurried back again.
"Why, isn't she coming yet?" Seeing his expression, Wu Hong immediately made a guess and said with a sullen face.
"Sir, the female shopkeeper said that their general shopkeeper has a rule that when opening an account, it can only be done in the bank. She also said that today and tomorrow, statistics will be reported and no more procedures will be done."
The servant looked uneasy and also felt a little resentful in his heart.
"Hmph! Go and tell her that in Dingyuan County, you have to follow my own rules, and their general shopkeeper's rules are useless."
Wu Hong said with a livid face.
It would be a big joke for him, a high-ranking seventh-rank county magistrate and a new academician, to go to a business in person and find a woman to open an account.
Where would he put his face when the news spread?
Aren't you laughed at by your colleagues?
How can we keep the common people and gentlemen of this county in awe in the future?
"Sir, my lord, the general manager of the Royal Bank seems to be Princess Kunxing." Seeing that he was confused by his popularity, the servant quickly reminded him in a low voice.
Sure enough, Wu Hong was stunned when he heard this, and then his face turned the color of pig liver, and then he remembered.
After a while, he calmed down and said sternly to the servant: "I didn't say anything just now, do you understand?"
I really answered that sentence, you are the only one I am not embarrassed about.
"I understand, little one." The servant nodded quickly.
"Prepare the sedan!"
Wu Hong calmed down and saw that it was getting late. Although he was depressed to death, he had no choice but to get up and go to the bank.
If Wu Hong knew that even Mage Lao and the six ministers had to go to the bank in person to handle their own private accounts and the six public accounts, he probably wouldn't feel so depressed.
When Wu Hong came to the door of the bank, all the officials consciously avoided it, and the spectators were also driven away in advance, so the entire bank returned to its former deserted state.
"Please forgive me, Mr. Wu. It's not that I don't want to go to the Yamen to handle the matter for you. It's because the chief shopkeeper has strict orders that I don't dare to disobey."
The female shopkeeper personally welcomed Wu Hong into the hall from the gate. After sitting down, she explained with an apologetic look.
She didn't want to offend the Wuzhi County magistrate, but Her Royal Highness the Princess had repeatedly told her not to go to her door to handle the matter.
"It doesn't matter. Since Her Royal Highness the Princess has an order, I should obey it."
Wu Hong waved his hands in a friendly manner, as if he didn't care at all.
"Thank you for your understanding."
"I'm busy with official duties, so I'll spare the trouble for you, the shopkeeper." Wu Hong obviously didn't want to be verbose or stay too long.
"My lord, please wait a moment."
As the female shopkeeper spoke, she stood up and went to the desk beside her, while the servant followed with the official seal and voucher.
In just a moment, the female shopkeeper came to Wu Hong with two booklets, one red and one yellow, as well as an identification card and a square seal.
"Sir, this red one is your personal account book. With it and this ID certificate every month, you can come to the bank to receive your salary. If it is lost or damaged, you need to come to the bank with the official document from the Ministry of Personnel to get a replacement."
"Does this officer have to come in person every month to receive his salary?" Wu Hong picked up the red book and identity document, looked at it, and then squinted his eyes.
"Yes, sir, the official's private account must be collected in person before it can be distributed. Others are not allowed to collect it on behalf of others. This is also stipulated by the general manager." The female shopkeeper explained again with an apologetic look.
Wu Hong's face couldn't help but twitch when he thought that he, a seventh-rank county magistrate, had to come to this business to receive his salary every month like those merchants.
After a long while, I suppressed the anger and depression in my heart, picked up the yellow book and the small seal, looked at it and asked, "What about the Dingyuan County government account?"
"This public account does not require you to come in person. You only need to issue an official document explaining how much you want to withdraw, and then stamp the county government's big seal and this small seal respectively, and then sign your name!"
The female shopkeeper said slowly.
Wu Hong finally breathed a sigh of relief when he heard that he no longer needed to come in person, and his expression softened a little. Then he asked curiously: "Is there really one thousand taels of silver in this official's account?"
"Yes, sir, these one thousand taels of silver are the daily expenses allocated by the Ministry of Household Affairs to each county government for one year."
"Well, I will take out all the one thousand taels of silver now. You can go and handle it immediately." Wu Hong's eyes lit up and he said immediately.
"Originally, no money will be withdrawn today, but your Excellency has spoken. The little girl made an exception and asked you to write official documents in accordance with the regulations..."
The female shopkeeper didn't say anything, she nodded.
Wu Hong also stopped putting on airs. He stood up and went to the desk. He quickly wrote an official document for withdrawing money, then signed his name and stamped it with a large seal and a small seal.
After the female shopkeeper confirmed it, she stamped it with the bank's seal and signed her name. Then she carefully put it away and ordered the steward to withdraw the money.
"Why is it treasure money?"
Wu Hong was dumbfounded as he held a stack of treasure banknotes.
Although the treasure banknotes have spread to the south and are recognized by merchants and people in and around Nanjing, no one in Dingyuan County will recognize them.
"Sir, the salaries of officials and the funds of various government offices are all paid directly in treasure notes." Seeing his such a big reaction, the female shopkeeper was also a little embarrassed.
At the same time, we also understand that there is a long way to go to thoroughly promote Baochao in Dingyuan County and gain the recognition of ordinary businessmen.
"I remember the regulations of the Royal Bank, right? The full amount of treasure notes can be exchanged for ingots? Go and exchange all these thousand taels for ingots."
Wu Hong also reacted and quickly put the treasure banknotes on the table.
"Sir, money is not easy to carry around, and it is not easy to store, not to mention that in the future, only treasure banknotes will be collected for taxation. Your Excellency, you really want to exchange all of them for ingots, without leaving any spare parts..."
The female shopkeeper tried to speak carefully, obviously wanting the county government to take the lead.
"No, don't say any more, everything will be replaced with ingots immediately." Wu Hong didn't want to hear any more from her, so he waved his hand and interrupted without a doubt.
"All right!"
The female shopkeeper had no choice but to order someone to fetch a thousand taels of gold ingot, deducted the handling fee, and gave Wu Hong two taels of gold in change.
Wu Hong didn't care about the mere two taels of treasure banknotes. Looking at the white sterling silver, he finally had a good impression of the Royal Bank.
The Ministry of Accounts is also quite supportive of the move by the Ministry of Accounts to allow banks to allocate funds to yamen at all levels. Otherwise, if it is deducted at every level, it would be better to have three or four hundred taels instead of one thousand taels in his hands.