The Ming Dynasty started with caution

I remember a certain Ma’s father said, where can I find talents? As long as you are good enough, people will naturally follow you and join you.

Throughout history, this has been true for Liu Bang, Liu Bei, Cao Cao and others.

There were at least more than 300 gentry who wanted to defect to the Chamber of Commerce, but none of them was confiscated.

Yan Chengjin became somewhat interested in this person: "Where did the counterfeit Hongzhi banknotes come from?"

Qian Donglai bowed and said, "The student wants to see the banknote first."

Wang Qiong hurriedly took out one from his pocket, pointed to the upper right corner and said, "Look at the dark pattern, there is one missing pattern."

Qian Donglai looked at the paint and touched the material: "The paint for banknotes is difficult to mix. The tea blue, black, egg blue, and goose yellow dyes of Landian are all from Yangzhou Prefecture.

The material seems to be Pu paper, but in fact it is Mulberry paper, produced in Changzhou. "

Wang Qiong was shocked. This person actually knew the origin of the material.

Xie Yu said: "The students' fellow villagers are very familiar with the materials and origins of the world's commercial goods."

Qian Donglai was respectful and bowed: "Students can handle the procurement of the Chamber of Commerce and can buy high-quality materials at low prices. Please allow Master Yan to join the association."

"Are you a Huizhou merchant?" Yan Chengjin asked.

Merchants in the Ming Dynasty had extremely fierce regional competition.

This is why, in the Ming Dynasty, business gangs appeared.

It is normal for merchants to send spies among chambers of commerce.

The aristocratic families and clans that can run the business gang have extraordinary means that ordinary people can't match. Although he wants talents, he must be careful.

If you answer this question well, you can join the Merchant Gang. Xie Yu looked at Qian Donglai.

Qian Donglai nodded and said, "Yes."

Yan Chengjin thought for a while and said: "If it is true as you said, the counterfeit coins came from Zhenjiang Prefecture, you will be allowed to join the Chamber of Commerce."

…

Forbidden City, Huagai Hall.

It has been three days since the counterfeit currency was thoroughly investigated, and no one has reported it yet.

During the morning session, Emperor Hongzhi discussed the matter again. He looked at Yan Chengjin: "Is there any news from the Metropolitan Procuratorate?"

"Not yet, I am still investigating thoroughly." Yan Chengjin said.

"Where's the Criminal Department?"

Chang Yuanxi said with some annoyance: "Yan Chengjin asked Mr. Wang to go to his house to identify counterfeit coins. In the past three days, no one has helped me."

All the officials looked shocked. How much money would it take for three days?

Emperor Hongzhi did know how much money Yan Chengjin had.

Wang Qiong couldn't bear it. He obviously had some clues, but Yan Chengjin didn't tell them. However, he couldn't report it to Emperor Hongzhi until it was confirmed.

"Reporting to your Majesty, there is actually some news. I have sent people to go south to investigate. I'm afraid it will take another eight days."

Zhenjiang Prefecture was too far away, so he sent someone to conduct a thorough investigation. The round trip would take at least six days, so he reported an extra two days.

Chai Sheng looked at Emperor Hongzhi: "There are many gentry who exchange silver. If they are not allowed to exchange for eight days, the gentry may be dissatisfied with the court. Please, Your Majesty, increase the amount of exchange."

"If you can exchange it freely, won't the company go bankrupt?" Liu Jian asked back.

There are many gentry in the capital who exchange banknotes. If this continues, it will go bankrupt sooner or later.

Emperor Hongzhi couldn't calm down for a long time. He wanted to send Jin Yiwei to investigate thoroughly, but he couldn't.

At this time, Yan Chengjin thought carefully and then said: "I have a plan that can extend it to eight days."

Li Dongyang and others all looked over, as if waiting for Yan Chengjin to continue.

"Let me tell the capital that using silver notes to purchase from Liangxiang can reduce the price by 30%. At the same time, you can pay 30% less tax. What do you think, Your Majesty?" Yan Chengjin raised his head slightly.

This is equivalent to if you use a banknote to buy something, I will not only give you a 30% discount, but also reduce the commercial tax by 30%.

It's purely a loss-making transaction.

The Liangxiang Chamber of Commerce can support it for a long time. After all, the fixed magnification rate is more than four times without hurting the muscles and bones.

But, is the court willing to reduce taxes by 30%?

Liu Lai bowed and said: "This is to use taxes to regulate the imperial court's economy. I sincerely ask for your permission."

Emperor Hongzhi's face was full of astonishment, how could he still play like this?

Chai Sheng's expression froze on his face. It seemed that Yan Chengjin had something for him to be promoted to the second rank at such an age!

"According to what Yan Qing's family said, if you pass on my will and purchase it with a silver note, the commercial tax can be reduced by 30%." Emperor Hongzhi ordered.

Mao Lun, the general political envoy among the nine ministers, was busy taking orders and writing an announcement.

After retreating from the court, Chai Sheng walked back to the duty room of the Criminal Department and said with a serious face: "This Yan Chengjin has some abilities."

Yang Tongdao, the chief secretary of the Ministry of Punishment, said: "This man is extremely cautious. I am afraid that I have already thought of a countermeasure before going to court today."

Beijing, Hongzhi Company.

The gentry queued up all night long to exchange their silver notes for silver coins. A big yellow list was posted on the wall.

Those who saw it first turned around and rushed home.

The people behind didn't know what was going on. After seeing the yellow list clearly, they turned around and ran home.

The price of Liangxiang goods has been reduced by 30%, and the business tax has been reduced by 30%. You would be a fool not to buy it.

Anyway, purchasing means exchanging silver notes for commercial goods.

In the blink of an eye, the Hongzhi firm was completely empty. Wang Qiong said to Yan Chengjin sincerely: "Master Yan is so smart, I can't think of it."

Flatterer!

Yan Chengjin kept his distance from Wang Qiong, who always wanted to associate with him.

This move also demonstrates that the Department of Economic Affairs' control over the market is becoming more and more important in His Majesty's heart.

In the past few days, Wang Qiong came to Yan Chengjin's house after getting off duty, waiting for news from Jiangnan.

Seven days have passed, one day longer than the budget. Wang Qiong worriedly said: "It stands to reason that he should be back, right?"

The court cannot keep cutting taxes.

Yan Chengjin looked at Qian Donglai: "It's possible that what you said is false."

Qian Donglai felt uneasy and did not dare to give any definite guarantee.

After waiting for another hour, it was almost the evening hour, and the doorman came running in: "Master, Lord Xu Tianxi is back."

Xu Tianxi walked in quickly and looked at Qian Dongbao deeply: "Two private mints were found in Zhenjiang Prefecture. There is an old scholar who draws Hongzhi silver notes. This scholar was originally the supervisor of Nanjing Baoyuan Bureau."

As he said, he took out a five-hundred-liang Hongzhi silver note that had not been finished.

Wang Qiong took it and looked at it carefully. This old guy drew it so realistically! He looked at Yan Chengjin with a light in his eyes: "Lord Yan, come to the palace!"

"No, I will report to you tomorrow morning."

Wang Qiong stamped his feet in anger, but he could only listen to Yan Chengjin.

Yan Chengjin had some thoughts and needed to come up with a way to deal with it. He would ask Emperor Hongzhi for advice tomorrow.

The next day, the morning court.

All officials stood in the East Warm Pavilion. Emperor Hongzhi was not in the mood to listen to government affairs, and he was thinking about the counterfeit currency.

Wang Qiong bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the counterfeit coins came from Zhenjiang Prefecture, and they are all old coins from the Hongwu and Yongle dynasties, and the Hongzhi silver notes were made by a painter named Han Shiru."

Liu Jian frowned: "Old coins from Hongwu?"

The copper plate will be engraved with the dynasty, such as Hongwu, Yongle, Xuande, etc.

After the new emperor ascends the throne, the old emperor's currency can be used for a period of time so that it can be recovered.

But there is a problem, use means purchase.

People usually don't want to spend money, so how can they be willing to spend copper plates? Therefore, the copper plates strung on the beams are from various dynasties.

But they can no longer circulate.

Yan Chengjin thought to himself: "The copper mines in Daming are scarce, and the people hide copper coins, which makes copper more scarce."

Wang Qiong continued: "This dynasty originally cast Hongwu and other Tongbao, which have not been used by the people for a long time, and many of them are stored in the official treasury."

The old coins of Hongwu and Xuande cannot be circulated, so some people buy them at a discount and reforge them.

Emperor Hongzhi was still in shock and found it incredible.

Chang Yuanxi looked at Wang Qiong and whispered: "Brother Dehua found out, why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't do anything." Wang Qiong raised his head slightly and said: "Your Majesty, please use all the money in the treasury to circulate it so that the money law can be smooth."

Use the copper coins from the treasury to exchange with the people, offset the old coins, and return to the furnace for refining.

In this way, the old coins in the market will be gone.

Emperor Hongzhi looked at Wang Qiong: "Where did the clue come from, why didn't you report it earlier?"

"The news came from a Hui merchant, and I just found out about it not long ago. I ask for advice to ban private minting. If anyone violates the ban, all five clans will be executed." Wang Qiong said.

The five clans are the clans of the person, his two brothers and his two wives.

In this way, brothers and wives will supervise each other, which is the same as the joint punishment in Qin Dynasty.

Li Dongyang also agreed with Wang Qiong: "What Lord Wang said makes sense. Those who forge old coins should be punished with the death penalty to serve as a warning to others."

Yan Chengjin fell into deep thought. This was not enough to eliminate counterfeit coins. "I have three things to say, but I don't know..."

Emperor Hongzhi nodded slightly: "Let Mr. Yan speak."

"I beg you to take back the right to print money from the Nanjing Baoyuan Bureau and only allow the Beijing Baoyuan Bureau to print money. This is the first.

On the Hongzhi silver notes, add digital numbers and paint with more complex pigments. This is the second.

Promote the censor of the Economic Department to the fourth-rank official, which is the same as the four departments of the six ministries. This is the third."

Promote the Economic Department? You really want to turn the Censorate into six ministries?

Wang Qiong suddenly realized. No wonder this guy had to wait all night to think of a plan.

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