Han Shizu

Chapter 275 The problem of money and food cannot be avoided

"Returning to Your Majesty, according to the statistics of the ministers, among the warehouses in Tokyo, there are still 6000 taels of grain, more than 670 taels, and [-] bolts of silk."

With this little surplus of food and money, it won't last long to pay the salaries of the officials and the salaries of the forbidden army.His big man was so poor, Liu Chengyou tried his best to maintain his demeanor, from his complexion, it can be seen that he is not in a good mood.

Knowing what Liu Chengyou was worried about, Wang Zhang followed up and said: "Your Majesty, please rest assured. After the chaos in the river is settled, the world will be solemn. In a short period of time, the imperial court will not have a huge expenditure. Right now, the harvest of autumn grain in various places will end, and the autumn tax It will also be stored in the warehouse, which is enough to alleviate the poverty of the country. On the Tokyo market, it has been loaded with grain from private merchants and travellers, so as to relieve the lack of grain and supply the capital."

Listening to Wang Zhang's narration, Liu Chengyou's expression was obviously relieved. After thinking for a while, he couldn't help saying: "Tokyo's storage is insufficient, and there is still a problem of food shortage. However, the market price of food is still high, and the scholars and people may not be able to afford it. I often hear that in the city The poor are dying of starvation! In my opinion, let the government set the price and suppress the price of food!"

Liu Chengyou is revisiting the past.

Hearing this, Wang Zhang's face suddenly showed anxiety, and he hurriedly raised his hands to persuade him: "Since there is a shortage of food, this strategy must not be adopted! Although the price of food is high, it has greatly improved compared to the beginning of the country. Grain merchants from all over the country have heard that it is profitable, so they can rush to transport grain, otherwise, the foreign grain will not enter Beijing, and it will be difficult to support the consumption of hundreds of thousands of officials, soldiers and civilians in Tokyo with only official reserves!"

Faced with Liu Chengyou's "random life", Wang Zhang seemed a little anxious.

"The foundation of a country is to have sufficient food first. If the people can't get enough to eat, how can I feel so bad!" Liu Chengyou suddenly said angrily.

If Liu Chengyou said this seriously, he would lose.When the country was extremely impoverished before, when Doumi was worth six or seven hundred dollars, he was not so excited and encouraged to launch a war without blinking his eyes.
"Your Majesty! I think what Wang Xianggong said is reasonable!" Hearing the questioning of the monarch and his ministers, Yang Bin couldn't help but speak in support of Wang Zhang: "As for the price of grain, just let the people do what they want, merchants can profit , The world’s rice and grain enter the capital, the grain is abundant but the price is self-deprecating. Your Majesty is concerned about the lack of grain in the capital and also depreciates the price of rice. There is no way in the world to have both!"

Yang Bin's style is still so direct, and his words are not polite.Liu Chengyou only glanced at him briefly, thinking about it secretly.

The words of Wang Zhang and Yang Bin are quite reasonable.Just like shortly after entering Tokyo last year, Liu Chengyou made great efforts to combat the inflated food prices.In the case of lack of food, it is a joke to forcefully suppress the price of food. When the national court has no such strength, it is simply a joke.

Basically, as long as Liu Chengyou imposes a limit on the price of rice and grain, it is certain that during this period of time, rich merchants who are actively transporting grain to Tokyo for big profits will definitely be discouraged.Prior to this, Liu Chengyou had already experienced it.

It is true that Liu Chengyou is concerned about the food problem, but it is not necessarily necessary to use hard restrictions to limit food prices. He has this idea many times, but he just can't bear the feeling of being controlled by others.

Rationally, as suggested by Yang and Wang, it is more suitable to loosen the grain policy in a short time.As for the livelihood of the people in Tokyo that Yoo Seung-woo is worried about, Tokyo was able to survive when it was extremely difficult before, but now, is Tokyo a place for ordinary people to stay?
However, Liu Chengyou's concern for the people is also from the bottom of his heart.After all, survival is only the most basic requirement, and it is impossible for him to let a group of people who cannot eat enough to support his rule.

After thinking seriously for a while, Liu Chengyou's eyes gradually settled down.It is inevitable to continue to relax the grain policy and open the grain price, but it does not mean letting go.The survival of the people involved in food, and the price of food in the capital and even the country must not be left in the hands of a few merchants, even though the current generation is still strong enough.

Facing Wang Zhang, Liu Chengyou said directly: "Opening up does not mean laissez-faire. The third division, next, we must always supervise the price of food in Tokyo. Regarding the autumn harvest, I issued an edict in Zhengzhou to promote the implementation. In Tokyo, a new Changping Warehouse was set up, and temporarily the grain that the common people paid off the autumn tax was collected into the warehouse as official storage. In the future, Changping Warehouses will also be established in various provincial capitals.”

Grain reserves must be vigorously carried out.

"Yes!" At a very fast speed, Wang Zhang understood Liu Chengyou's purpose of setting up the Changping Warehouse, and he readily agreed.

From Wang Zhang's point of view, the little emperor was indeed arrogant, but he was still calm, and he didn't have a temper to let him spend the money he had stored to buy grain to fill his normal warehouse.
Now, Liu Chengyou nodded in satisfaction, let out a sigh of relief, and casually asked something a little happier: "I heard that the new money has been minted?"

"Just wanting to report to His Majesty!" Wang Zhang put his arms around his official robe a little, and took out two bright new coins from his wide sleeves, and asked someone to present them to Liu Chengyou: "This is the mother coin that was reformed and cast by the Casting Supervisor. , the materials used are copper, tin, lead, and a three-component ratio. The casting mold has already been remade, and the official casting and promotion can begin only after His Majesty has a look at it!"

Liu Chengyou picked up two mother coins and weighed them in his hands. They were very light, and there was nothing special about the style. The holes were square and round, but the color was good, the workmanship was exquisite, and the handwriting was relatively clear, Qianyou Tongbao.

From Liu Chengyou's point of view, he was quite satisfied. After the transmission was passed on, all the ministers took over and observed it one by one.When it was Su Yugui's turn, with a smile on his old face, he said to Liu Chengyou: "In terms of casting technology, I am impeccable, but there are minor flaws."

"Su Qing just speak up!" Liu Chengyou waved his hands seeing the old man's appearance of going around in circles again.

"Returning to Your Majesty, there is still room for improvement in the writing, text, and patterns on the coins. Your Majesty can write calligraphy and paintings, and redo the layout!" Su Yugui said.

For Liu Chengyou, this is just a matter of minutiae. Noticing Su Yugui's expectant gaze, Liu Chengyou ordered: "Scholars, doctors, and calligraphy and painting artists of the three museums should each submit calligraphy and painting samples for selection. This matter will be handed over to you." Su Qing will be in charge and cooperate with the money casting supervisor."

Su Yugui: "Yes!"

"Over there at the Jianqian Supervisor, the officials in charge of casting and the artisans who develop casting techniques should be rewarded!" Liu Chengyou looked at Wang Zhang again.

Wang Zhangdao: "I have dealt with it."

"How much copper material does the court have in reserve?" Liu Chengyou asked what he was most concerned about.

"So far, the Jianqian Supervisor has collected more than [-] million catties of copper, of which more than [-] catties of gallbladder copper."

"It's really rare!" Liu Chengyou rubbed his forehead and couldn't help taking a breath.

For the whole country, this copper material is really shabby, and it took more than a year to collect it.

"I brought back the bronze wares of Buddha statues from the river, and I used them as casting materials for casting money. There are mines, and the ore is smelted and transported to Tokyo." After a little thought, Liu Chengyou said directly: "There are a lot of folk bronze wares. Three The Secretary can discuss a collection law to solve the copper shortage."

According to Liu Chengyou's original style, it is estimated that he will directly submit an imperial edict to unconditionally collect folk bronze wares.This is inevitable. If the imperial court pays for the redemption, it can directly declare bankruptcy.Therefore, we can only come hard, just like the extermination of Buddha that is already brewing, and directly plunder.This kind of job of offending people and causing a lot of criticism, Liu Chengyou decided that he, the emperor, should not be at the forefront of everything
"In addition, continue to develop and improve the skills of the bile copper method to increase production!" Liu Chengyou added.

The bile copper method is the wet method of copper smelting. Simply put, iron is used to replace copper, which is the development and progress of copper smelting technology.

"Yes!"

(End of this chapter)