Fenghou

Chen Qing signaled his wife to sit down, sighed and said: "There are some things I can't say clearly, I can only tell you. It's not accidental that I promote Yinjiaozi at this time. In fact, I am launching a campaign against the imperial court." Currency war."

"Currency war?" Lu Xiu heard this word for the first time, and she really felt fresh.

"The imperial court is going to issue the membership and iron money. This is my chance."

Lu Xiu frowned, "Okay, what are the iron coins and huizi issued for? How many huizi and jiaozi were issued during the Xuanhe years, but all of them became waste paper. The eight thousand huizi in my family finally had to Burn it down, and they still haven't learned their lesson?"

"It's not that they didn't learn their lesson, it's that they have no choice. The largest copper producing area of ​​the imperial court is on Jiangnan West Road, and now it falls into our hands. Millions of catties of copper ingots were captured by Zhang Jun's army before they could be shipped out. In our hands, there are only less than one million catties of copper ingots in the imperial court, and 30 taels of silver. Half of the coins circulating in the market are our Yong coins. They want to recruit troops, and the monthly military salary is hundreds of thousands. Where does the money come from? ? We can only bite the bullet and issue club money and iron money.”

"But what does this Yinjiaozi have to do with it?"

"Of course it does matter. Once the imperial court issues huizi and iron coins, the people in the southeast are unwilling to use them, so what will they use? So I need to increase the supply of coins, so that all the south of the Yangtze River can use Yong coins, even Yinjiaozi, No one will use the clubs and iron coins, so the court can only use coercive means to promote clubs and iron coins, and the court will completely lose the hearts of the people, which is what I expect."

Lu Xiu pondered for a while and said, "My husband can explain clearly to the counselors so that they can understand."

Chen Qing shook his head, "It's useless for me to talk too much, the key is to let the facts prove it, so that they can fully understand."

……

In Lin'an, Zhang Jun's rebellion came fiercely, but was destroyed by the Western Army like the autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves. The danger was lifted, and Lin'an City returned to its former prosperity.

"Lin'an City is more prosperous than before!" In the reopened Changfeng Teahouse, an old man held a teacup and looked at the endless stream of pedestrians on the outer street and sighed.

"That's because it's not easy to make a living in other places, so everyone flocks to Lin'an." Dong An walked forward with a teapot and said with a smile.

The teahouse reopened, and Dong An brought his fellows back again. Hu Yun reached an agreement with the imperial court not to allow the imperial court to arrest the intelligence officials of the Western Army, but Hu Yun also promised the intelligence scouts the three-no rule and would not undermine military security. , Do not assassinate court officials, do not help businessmen flee Lin'an.

The so-called non-destructive military security means that there will be no more incidents like the Yangzhou warehouse fire, and there will be no more threats to the personal safety of court officials. Incidents such as the kidnapping of the uncle Wei Tong will never happen, and of course they will not help businessmen save their lives. The transfer of money to leave Lin'an is a temporary help, and the merchants have to rely on themselves if they want to leave Lin'an.

For example, businessmen can deposit money into the newly opened Wanbao Cabinet and Jiangnan Cabinet. Both of these cabinets have branches in Jingzhao. As long as they take a counter ticket and a cash withdrawal jade pen, they can withdraw money directly from Jingzhao. Money is also not under the supervision of the Tyumen Division.

In the final analysis, as long as no violent and bloody incidents occurred, the imperial court would not drive people away. If they wanted to find information, it was up to their own ability. Moreover, since everyone was playing on the bright side, the imperial court would also send people to secretly monitor every move of the intelligence station.

The shopkeeper Dong An's conclusion resonated with everyone, and everyone said in unison: "That's right, it's too difficult to earn some money in other places. All the money is concentrated in Lin'an. If you want to make a living, you can only live in Lin'an."

"The cheapest rent in Lin'an has risen, but when the house price has fallen, it has fallen by half compared to last year when it was the highest. Now there is a price but no market, and no one is willing to take over."

"Lin'an is still good, why is there no one to take over Fangzhai?"

"That depends on the price. Some people are willing to take over the price of a house like Suzhou. According to the current price, it will have to fall by half before it will be recognized."

When it comes to housing prices that everyone cares about, everyone is interested, and discussions are in full swing.

In the elegant room by the window on the second floor, you could faintly hear the conversations of the tea guests downstairs. Hu Yun drank a sip of tea and said with a smile: "Actually, apart from housing prices, the fluctuation of silver prices is also the best explanation. Brother Shaofu should Do you know what the current price of silver is on the black market?"

After experiencing the closure of the imperial court, Wang Mu has been officially appointed by Chen Qing as the owner of the "Beijing News", and he has been appointed as a five-rank Zhongsan doctor, which means that he has changed from a staff member to an official court official.

It also means a new starting point for Wang Mu's life. He can serve as the magistrate of Luoyang, Kaifeng, Taiyuan, Chengdu, and Xiangyang.

Of course, Wang Mu's fifth rank is a bit worse than Hu Yun's, and Hu Yun is fourth rank.

Wang Mu pondered for a while and said, "I didn't pay attention to the price of silver. It seems that one tael of silver is exchanged for seven pennies!"

"It has risen to one to nine this morning!"

Dong An came in and said with a smile: "One tael of silver is exchanged for nine guan coins. A tea customer told me that he only got ten taels of silver with ninety guan coins this morning."

Hu Yun asked Dong An to sit down, and then said: "Yesterday, I received His Highness's letter from Eagle. His Highness asked us to collect all the information about the imperial court's issuance of the meeting and iron money. The more the better."

Dong An frowned and said, "I heard that iron money has already appeared in the market. If His Highness wants to stop it now, it may be too late."

Wang Mu laughed from the side: "Old Dong, you must have misunderstood. Your Highness doesn't want to stop Iron Money and Huizi. How could Your Highness stop such things that ruin one's reputation?"

Hu Yun nodded, "The Shaofu is right. Your Highness is only concerned about the impact of this matter and the consequences of the forced implementation, and has no intention of asking us to stop it."

Dong An was a little embarrassed and said: "It seems that I misunderstood it, but no one wants iron money, and our teahouses don't accept it, and the teahouses I know don't accept it, let alone small vendors. Everyone only accepts it. Copper coins, and clubs, a pile of torn paper, who would want it?"

"It has nothing to do with us. Our task is to collect intelligence, not to interfere with it. I ask everyone to focus on this during this time. After the New Year, I will report to His Highness."

Hu Yun said to Wang Mu again: "The "Beijing News" is the same. Before His Highness orders, don't publish any articles to intervene, and completely avoid this matter."

Both Wang Mu and Dong An nodded, their faces were solemn, and Hu Yun specifically told them about this matter, indicating that it was of great importance.

The first thousand and 270 chapters

In the meeting hall next to the imperial study room, five prime ministers and Zhang Jun, who had just been made a privy secretary, were sitting in the hall. Everyone was silent, and no one was willing to speak first.

Zhao Gou glanced at them dissatisfied, coughed, and said to Qin Hui: "You Xiangguo expresses his opinion first! You proposed the printing meeting, please explain it to everyone!"

Qin Hui had no choice but to bite the bullet and said: "The military salary has not been paid for three months, and the salary of the hundred officials has also been delayed for two months. The hundred officials can bear it, but the army's morale is about to betray. Although casting iron money can solve the problem, but It will take time, so the printing of the meeting is just an urgent need, and once the amount of iron money is minted enough, the meeting will be taken back one after another."

Xu Xiantu said indifferently: "Qin Xianggong can guarantee that the meeting will be printed smoothly, but he can't guarantee whether the army and the people will use it? Now many people still keep the meeting that was printed during the Xuanhe period. When the new meeting is printed, the old What about the meeting?"

Qin Hui was suddenly dissatisfied and said, "I'm talking about the solution to the crisis, but Mr. Xu can only pour cold water on it. Then tell me, what good solution do you have?"

Everyone's eyes turned to Xu Xiantu again. The printing meeting has actually been discussed many times. Everyone knows that it is wrong, but there is no other way. Today is the final conclusion. Logically, there should be no more objections. Now that Xu Xiantu Once again speaking against the printing of the meeting, it shows that he has a solution to the crisis, and everyone can't help but prick up their ears.

Xu Xiantu said slowly: "Actually, we don't have nothing. We still have a lot of assets, such as land, houses, and other utensils. We just lack money. Lin'an is not without money. Lin'an has at least tens of millions of dollars. We You can mortgage the land and houses to the cabinet workshop and quality warehouse, and borrow a large sum of money to solve the urgent need."

Everyone cheered up, this is a good way, Qin Hui snorted coldly and said: "It is easy to borrow money, but difficult to pay back, what should I do if I can't pay back the money? Could it be that Xu Xianggong wants to use the land and houses directly to pay off the debt?"

Xu Xiantu shook his head, "I didn't think so!"

Zhu Shengfei said: "Xu Xianggong means that the iron money will be minted at that time, and Xu Xianggong wants to use the iron money to pay off the debt!"

Everyone was in an uproar, borrowing copper money and paying back iron money, this is too bad!

Xu Xiantu suddenly said angrily: "I didn't think so. In a few months, the tax revenue will arrive, and the tax money can be used to pay off the debt."

"If all the tax money is used to repay the debt, the army and all the officials are drinking the northwest wind?" Qin Hui asked tit for tat.

Xu Xiantu countered: "At that time, wasn't all the iron coins minted?"

The final decision was made by the emperor Zhao Gou. In fact, he had money in his treasury, several million taels, 20 taels of gold and a million taels of silver, which were the wealth he had accumulated over the years. At this critical moment, He should take some out to solve the urgent need, but Zhao Gou has been reluctant to take it out, but asked the ministers to find a way to solve it.

Of course, it's not that he doesn't know the disadvantages of the issuance meeting, he has his own ideas, and when the financial crisis is encountered, he needs to choose the pig and kill it.

Zhao Gou said slowly: "Issuing the meeting has been discussed for a long time, and it is meaningless to continue the discussion. My opinion is obvious. The meeting can be issued, but it can be issued in a small amount, and iron coins must be minted. In addition, Xu Xianggong's plan It can also be adopted, and the three-pronged approach is the only way to raise enough military expenses and salaries, and the New Year is coming soon, and I don’t want everyone to go hungry for the New Year.”

Zhao Gou finally made a decision to issue iron money, print a meeting, and borrow money as a mortgage. As for how to do it, it is a matter for the prime ministers to decide.

……

Until the evening, Qin Hui dragged his exhausted body back home, he was really exhausted after a busy day with the issuance of iron money and meeting sons today.

As soon as I came to the study and sat down, my wife Wang rushed over after hearing the news and asked her husband, "I heard that the imperial court is going to issue a meeting again?"

Qin Hui said disapprovingly, "Where did you hear the news?"

"I went to chat with the queen mother today, she told me."

Qin Hui waved his hand and said, "So what about the release meeting? Why do you care about such things?"

"You are confused. My father still has [-] guan old huizi that have not been exchanged, and the court issued new huizi. What about the old huizi in my father's hands? Fifteen thousand guan!"

Qin Hui had a headache for a while, and when he returned home, he encountered such a terrible thing. He lowered his head and rubbed his temples, and said for a long time, "This is the old sesame seed and rotten millet! The previous court is long gone, and it has nothing to do with the current court. What are you talking about?"

Wang said with a sneer: "You claim to be the authentic emperor of the Song Dynasty every day, and you are in the same line. Now you are asked to pay back the money, and you say that you have nothing to do with the former court. Officials, this is not kind!"

Qin Hui sighed helplessly and said, "It's not that I want to print huizi, it's the official's intention. It's not that he doesn't know the consequences of publishing huizi, but...he needs to use huizi to kill pigs."

"What kills a pig?" Wang asked puzzled.

"Plum Blossom Guard drew up a list. There are about 100 rich people, and there are many sea merchants. They have accumulated wealth for decades. Isn't it too ugly to grab it? So... Let them buy clubs."

Wang's eyes widened, "Officer, can you do this kind of thing?"

"What can't be done? The government wants to expand the army to 30, and it needs a monthly salary of one million guan. There are also various weapons to build. One million guan is not enough. The military expenditure alone costs 500 yuan a year. Wan Guan, but all the taxes and taxes add up to only 800 million Guan, and the gap in military expenses alone reaches 700 million Guan, not to mention other expenses. Where does the money come from? Now the military salary and the salaries of hundreds of officials are owed for three months. During the Chinese New Year, there are only 10,000+ coins left in the official treasury, what should I do?"

Qin Hui sighed, and said angrily: "On the one hand, the imperial court is empty, and on the other hand, rich businessmen and big households are desperately fleeing to Jingzhao. Do you know how many rich people have escaped this year alone? According to preliminary statistics, there are 97 households that have been transferred away." With a wealth of more than 600 million guan, these fat pigs are worse than killing Chen Qing for the New Year."

Wang frowned, and said disdainfully: "Can't we recruit a little less troops? If we have to recruit 30 people, 10 people will be 500 million yuan, isn't it just enough?"

Qin Hui sneered and said: "You women are ignorant, you still don't believe it. What is the most important in the eyes of officials, common people? Rich businessmen? Or civil and military officials? None of them. In his eyes, the throne is the most important, the community is the most important, 10 It is wishful thinking that 30 people can keep his throne and the country! In fact, 50 people are far from enough. If we really want to compete with the Western Army, we need at least 50 troops, but 30 troops can’t afford it, so we can only retreat Secondly, raising [-] people is the bottom line of the government, understand? Those fattened pigs, if they are not killed now, they will be left to Chen Qing."

"What does it matter to me to say this?"

Wang turned around angrily and left, Qin Hui took out another list and read it carefully.

He took a pen and hooked ten people on the list, and started with these ten people first.

The one ranked first was none other than Zheng Tongquan.

The first thousand and 270 chapters and two pig slaughtering

Ever since the Zheng family was forced to donate millions in military expenditures, the Zheng family began to transfer wealth to Quanzhou, Bashu, and Jingzhao. Zheng Tongquan knew very well that there would be a second time if there was a first time, as long as the relationship between the Zheng family and Chen Qing was one day If you don't get rid of it, the officials will not let you go for a day.

Not only gold, silver and copper coins were transferred, but the Zheng family also transferred family members and sold real estate. His three sons, the eldest son Zheng Zhi went to Jingzhao, the second son Zheng Qu went to Bashu, and his brother Zheng Tongtai and his family went to Quanzhou.

The famous Zheng Building by the West Lake was renamed Wu Building, and was bought by Empress Wu's father for [-] guan. There were also other shops and houses. Except for the main house of the Zheng family, all other houses and land were sold. He used the money he got to invest in the establishment of Wanbao Cabinet Shop, and took [-]% of Jiangnan Cabinet Shop.

The transfer of the Zheng family's wealth was basically completed, and the servants were almost disbanded. The last tens of thousands of coins were also deposited in the Wanbao Cabinet. Personal collection.

This morning, Zheng Tongquan drank tea in the newspaper office and chatted with Wang Mu. He couldn't stay at home, so he either came to the newspaper office or went to Changfeng Teahouse every day.

He grabbed a handful of iron coins and put them on the table, and grabbed a small handful of silver coins and put them aside with a smile: "These two kinds of coins are the new coins issued by the imperial court and Yongwangfu respectively. The imperial court is iron coins, and Yongwang issued them. The most interesting thing is that the imperial court stipulates that iron coins and copper coins can be exchanged one to one, but the black market price is one to two. One copper coin is exchanged for two iron coins, and yesterday it fell to one to three. Copper coins for three iron coins."

Wang Mu smiled and said, "This is an opportunity to make money! One hundred copper coins, exchanged for three hundred iron coins on the black market, and then exchanged for three hundred copper coins at the imperial court, tripled in the blink of an eye."

Zheng Tongquan shook his head, "How can there be such a good thing? If there is such a good thing, who would go to the black market to exchange money? Speaking of which, Baoji Cabinet Workshop was miserably cheated this time."

Wang Mu smiled and said, "Let's hear it!"

Zheng Tongquan said with a chuckle: "This time, the imperial court entrusted Baoji Cabinet to exchange for consistent money. Baoji Cabinet could make a profit of [-] cash, so Baoji Cabinet accepted it with great joy. As a result, on the first day, how much People came to exchange money, all of them were family members of officials. I heard that [-] guan was exchanged in one day. Baoji cabinets were exchanged for circulation to the common people. Now Baoji cabinets were dumbfounded. They exchanged them at the official price. They thought that the imperial court would take them back at the official price, but the imperial court did not accept them at all. They asked them to exchange them for the common people. Who would want the common people? Iron money?"

Wang Mu laughed, "I have to write this down. Lao Hu wants to collect information on this. This is the best information."

"But this Yinjiaozi is different."

Zheng Tongquan played with a handful of silver jiaozi in his hand and said: "The Lin'an black market also accepts silver jiaozi, and the price is one coin for five hundred copper coins. They can resell six hundred coins, and they can earn one hundred coins."

"A pair of [-] Wen copper coins, the price is the same as the price of the Sichuan-Shaanxi cabinet shop!"

"totally different!"

Zheng Tongquan shook his head and said: "Sichuan-Shaanxi cabinets are issued at a premium. If you melt it into silver ingots, it is only worth three hundred Wen. You must keep the Yinjiaozi state to be worth five hundred Wen. There are two hundred here." Wen is the credit of Prince Yong's Mansion. Everyone believes that Prince Yong's Mansion will take it back with [-] Wen, but the Lin'an black market has confirmed the price and welded it. It is also worth [-] Wen. You can earn another hundred coins, which means that the price of silver in the Lin'an black market has risen to one to ten."

"Proprietor Zheng makes good use of it, and he can make a lot of money, double it!"

Zheng Tongquan said with a wry smile: "Some money cannot be earned, and if you are a little careless, you will lose your life. A few days ago, a cloth merchant exchanged 1000 taels of silver for [-] guan, but his body was found in the river the next day. , the nine thousand coins are gone, you are the head of the "Beijing News", you should know about this!"

"I heard about it, but it's not as detailed as what you said. It is said that it was done by black market dealers. Those guys are ruthless!"

Zheng Tongquan sneered and said, "Do you think it was done by black market dealers? Although those guys are vicious, they won't destroy their own jobs. According to the news I heard, it was Meihuawei who killed them."

"Is the news reliable?"

"It's the news from Plum Blossom Guard, do you think it's reliable?"

Just as he was talking, the porter of the newspaper office said at the door: "Master Zheng, the servant of your mansion has come and said there is something urgent!"

Zheng Tongquan was taken aback, and quickly asked, "Where is he?"

"In the living room downstairs!"

Zheng Tongquan hurriedly got up and went downstairs, and when he came to the living room, he saw his old groom hurriedly said: "The plum blossom guards are here to arrest people. A lot of soldiers have come and surrounded the house. The master is not here. They have taken accountant Li away. The butler told the master to hide quickly."

Zheng Tongquan was taken aback, what's going on?

At this time, Wang Mu walked in and asked, "What happened?"

"The Plum Blossom Guard surrounded my house, and when they saw that I wasn't there, they took my tent away."

Wang Mu frowned, Mei Huawei came to arrest people, it must be approved by the emperor, and the accountant was taken away, most likely it was for money.

"When did this happen?"

"Just a quarter of an hour ago, the butler told the master to hide quickly."

Wang Mu sent the groom away, and then said to Zheng Tongquan: "The newspaper will be under surveillance by them, which is not conducive to your leaving. The proprietor will immediately go to Qiyun Inn in the south of the city and leave by boat from the back door. I will arrange a carriage to leave from the front door." Go, confuse the watchers, we will find a way to rescue Li's tent."

Cowin Inn is also a branch of the intelligence station, located outside the south city, hiding there, the other party will not be able to find it.

Zheng Tongquan didn't have any worries in Lin'an, so he agreed immediately, and Wang Mu immediately arranged a boat, and Zheng Tongquan left by the small river at the back door.

Not long after Zheng Tongquan left, more than a dozen Plum Blossom Guard soldiers came and put the newspaper under surveillance. They obviously knew that Zheng Tongquan was in the newspaper.

At noon, Wang Mu got the news that a total of nine wealthy merchants from Lin'an had been invited by Meihuawei to be their guests. Wang Mu immediately realized that there should be ten people, except that one Zheng Tongquan was missing.

He immediately got into the carriage and went to Changfeng Teahouse. He wanted to discuss this matter with Hu Yun.

……

After listening to Wang Mu's narration, Hu Yun nodded and said: "This matter should be related to the issuance of the meeting and the iron money. The people don't recognize the iron money, and the iron money cannot be circulated. The court will force the rich merchants to exchange it forcibly. This is actually a disguised form of stealing money.”