Prime Minister

Chapter 411 Ending or Beginning

"Lack of people?"

Cai Jing's words were beyond Zhang Yue's expectation.

"Yuan Chang, why do you ask this question?" Zhang Yue asked.

After finishing the chapter, he looked at the expression on Cai Jing's face more carefully, but he saw that Cai Jing's face seemed to be shining. If Cai Jing gave him the impression of being respectful and polite, then at this moment Cai Jing gave him the feeling of showing his true feelings.

"Yuanchang likes this place?"

Cai Jing nodded.

Outside the window, the noise of people holding purchase orders could be heard one after another, and the sound of taking and putting away the mountains of money piled up on the counter was like the splashing of a torrent.

Cai Jingdao: "I know that my talents are mediocre and not enough to be admitted to Bachelor Zhang's school, but I can learn a thing or two from the bachelor's side, which is enough to benefit me for a lifetime. I hope the bachelor can fulfill it."

Zhang Yue did not accept disciples, it was because Zhao Zhongzhen wanted to worship under him, so he used this excuse to clear the relationship.

I can teach you calligraphy, but you are not my disciple.

Seeing Cai Jing's sincerity, Zhang Yue said, "But Yuan Chang is a Jinshi, right?"

Cai Jingdao: "Salt is also the livelihood of the people, and salt banknotes are also the annual income of the imperial court. The exchange of quotations is where the country's great interests lie, and it will be flocked to in the future. If I am here, I can also display my ambitions."

Zhang Yue thought to himself, what is this, in the future you will be the one who will pay homage to the prime minister four times.Instead of being a dignified prime minister, he wants to be the boss of a state-owned enterprise.

But Zhang Yue thought that if Cai Jing was working here, he might be able to get Cai Xiang's support for him.

Zhang Yue said: "My exchange office is just an expedient measure. After the price of salt drops, can the princes of the court maintain it? I'm afraid it will be difficult. Are you really willing?"

Cai Jing said solemnly: "That's because the princes at that time didn't see the benefits of the Interchange Office. If they came here and took a look, they would know that the Interchange Office was run by Fan Jingong (Fan Xiang) after it entered China. Best thing to do in ten years."

Knowing that the other party is flattering, Zhang Yue still can't help liking Cai Jing's flattery.

So Zhang Yue said: "If you want to come, come, you should increase your knowledge and practice your hands. But this matter must be reported first."

Cai Jing said happily, "Thank you, Bachelor."

Zhang Yue smiled slightly, and said that Cai Jing was the one who carried forward the salt money.When he was prime minister, he reformed the salt law. Except for Jieyan, other Huai salt and well salt were issued salt banknotes in the same way as Jieyan.

As a result, the imperial court's annual salt banknote income increased from more than 200 million guan to more than 1000 million guan.

In terms of ability to make money, among the successive prime ministers of the Song Dynasty, Cai Jing can definitely rank in the top three, or even the first.

Perhaps his own reference office can also give him some inspiration.

Zhang Yue turned his head to look at the crowd in the intersection shop, with a little helplessness on his face.

It was the day before Han Qi's appointment.

Zhang Yue came to Duyanyuan.There was a lot of talk in Beijing these days, and it all reached his ears.

The salt money rose again and again, so that the salt price in Beijing and Zhongzhong, which had finally fallen slightly, returned to the previous level, and even rose even higher.

The people in Beijing can be described as full of complaints.

Not only Cai Xiang, Ouyang Xiu, but also Lu Huiqing and other former colleagues gave him the wind.Now the discussion in the court is not good for me.

When Zhang Yue arrived at the exchange office that day, he passed the Bianhe River and took a horse to see the scenery of the Bianhe River.

In the past, he used a carriage to travel, but most officials rode horses when going up and down, which was too extravagant.I really don't know where the Han family's children had the opportunity to practice equestrianism in the past.Now it took him a few months to practice riding a horse, and he just rode to the Bian River.

"Speed ​​it up!"

Zhang Yue reined in the rein when he heard someone calling, and when he looked back, he couldn't help being overjoyed and jumped off the horse.

Zhang Yue cupped his fists and said, "She Zhang!"

The other party laughed, this person is Liu Zuo, Zhang Yue's dormitory head when he was in Taixue, he dropped out of school when he failed his studies, and now he has been doing business.

The two talked about their farewell feelings to each other. Although Zhang Yue is an official and Liu Zuo is a businessman, they talk about each other based on their old friends, regardless of their superiority or inferiority.This is also the fact that the simplicity of the scholars still exists, so there is no need to think about it in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Zhang Yue asked, "Where is the head of the house going?"

Liu Zuo said with a smile: "Recently, my family has been doing some salt business, so I went to the Metropolitan Salt Institute to buy some salt bills."

Zhang Yue couldn't help but change color.

Seeing this, Liu Zuo couldn't help asking: "What?"

Zhang Yue said: "The capital's salt money is high, why did the head of the house come at this time?"

"If you don't buy it now, it will be more expensive..." Liu Zuo laughed.

Zhang Yue couldn't help but said, "Who told you?"

It was a little strange for Liu Zuo to see Zhang Yue's serious expression.He looked around, then lowered his voice and said: "I have a friend in the yamen who can reach the heavens. He told me... that the government has been dissatisfied with Cai Jixiang for a long time, so Zhongshu deliberately helped Shaanxi Yunsi, so that If the price of salt continues to rise, Cai Jixiang must resign."

Zhang Yue said: "There is no such thing..."

Liu Zuo smiled and said, "Why not, I have benefited a lot from it recently."

At this moment, someone said: "Bachelor Zhang!"

Zhang Yue turned his head to look, but saw a familiar colleague passing by.If he leaked information to Liu Zuo at this time, he might be in trouble.

But Zhang Yue hesitated and said to Liu Zuo in a low voice: "Don't go."

After Zhang Yue finished speaking, he squeezed his wrist heavily before leaving.

Liu Zuo looked at Zhang Yue in astonishment.

Zhang Yue greeted his colleagues, and then rode to the exchange office.But seeing that there was still more than half an hour before Chen, dozens of people had already gathered in front of the entrance of the Interchange Office.

This is the case every day. The rise in salt money has brought about a boom in trading. According to word of mouth from people who have made a lot of money at the exchange in the past few days, many new faces come here to pan for gold every day.

Because physical gold and silver delivery is inconvenient.

Zhangyue’s stock exchange has made a modification, allowing buyers and sellers who buy more than [-] seats at one time to pay a certain amount of margin at the stock exchange, and all transactions are based on orders for delivery.

As long as the delivery can be completed within three days, it is even extended to five days for particularly large transactions.

This has promoted the popularity of the exchange.In addition, tea quotations, incense medicine quotations, alum quotations, etc. can be used to replace gold, silver and copper coins, and even Jiaozi is recognized, and all [-]% of the current price can be used to replace gold, silver, and silk.

It's just that they don't recognize iron money at all.

There are 60 to [-] coins traded here every day, and various coins circulate here smoothly.

It is traded on the stock exchange with [-] to [-] salt notes every day.Based on the price difference of [-] yuan per seat, the daily income of this exchange alone is between [-] yuan.

If time passes, what will it be like here?
Zhang Yue stood at the intersection with his horse, just as the rising sun rose from behind, piercing through the veil-like mist on the Bian River, casting a long shadow of man and horse.

After Zhang Yue entered the exchange office, he saw that everyone in the office looked dignified.These days, the unfavorable remarks against Zhang Yue from the court gradually spread to the institute.

They were very dissatisfied with this, how lifeless the Duyan Courtyard was in the past.

When the price of salt money is low, there is no money to buy it back.

When the price is high, there is no money to sell.

Today, the prosperity of this exchange is visible to anyone.

And according to the current daily income of the exchange, they can get a lot of money.

Now that they heard that Zhang Yue was about to resign, and that the Intermediary Office would be dismissed by then, they were at a loss as to where to go.

Seeing Zhang Yue entering, Luo Duyuan and Cai Jing saluted respectfully.

Zhang Yue asked, "How many salt bills do you have now?"

Luo Duyuan said: "No more than 1 seats!"

Zhang Yue said: "What's the price outside now!"

"Yesterday in the third quarter, it rose to 24 pens and [-] pens!"

Zhang Yue nodded and said: "In the first quarter, we bought 25 seats at [-] per seat, and sold another [-] seats."

Luo Duyuan and Cai Jing's expressions changed upon hearing this.

As soon as the hour came, the sun shone into the courtyard of the Exchange.

Now the courtyard is full of people, and the side rooms on both sides have been dismantled and full of high chairs. People here are dressed in silk clothes with noble faces, and some people are serving tea soup, which is similar to standing in the courtyard. people appear out of place.

This is the way Cai Jing came up with. These people are all big households with more than [-] seats, most of them are Jiaoyin shops or salt merchants, so they are invited to sit here.

Soon the bell rang, and when it was time of day, the host stepped up the steps, and soon there was a lot of noise inside and outside.

The rich householders on the left and right chairs were not disturbed by the crowd in the courtyard at all, but raised their hands calmly and slowly, and soon the waiter came to ask the other party to fill in the form with a pen and ink in red.

At this time, the noise had already reached the ears of countless eagerly awaiting people outside the Duyan Courtyard.

"25 hits!"

"25 hits!"

"It's up again!"

"It's up again!"

"It's going to be up to thirty guan!"

"What thirty guan, fifty guan, if you don't buy it, it will be too late."

"Unfortunately, I can't get in, and it's cheaper for those rich businessmen."

Countless people looked excited, wishing they could step into the exchange office, but there were countless officers and soldiers guarding the gate.

But at the banknote selling place, many people have secretly cashed out the banknotes, and even sold them in large quantities.

Zhang Yue sat silently on the chair, while Luo Duyuan reported the number of the purchase order.

Now the selling orders of salt money have quietly far exceeded the buying orders, and the price has risen, but it can no longer maintain the original buying and selling balance.

At the 25th guan, people who had previously made a lot of money in the exchange began to ship in large quantities.

After listening to Zhang Yue, he said to Luo Duyuan: "We also throw them all out."

Full of hesitation, Liu Zuo walked to the gate of the Duyan Courtyard, but heard a burst of noise outside.

"25 hits!"

Liu Zuo felt harsh when he heard the voice.He had listened to his friend's advice before, and he had made a lot of profit from the salt bank. This time, he heard it 25 times, and his heart felt like tickling.

Although he thought of Zhang Yue's words, he felt that he was the one who stopped him, otherwise he would already be in the exchange office at this moment, and everyone was passing on the thirty guan.

But Zhang Yue will not harm himself.

He couldn't help but struggle in his heart, but thought for a long time, looking at the smiling people around him.

Liu Zuo finally walked into the exchange.

During the second quarter, the host looked a little unsteady, and said to everyone: "27 seats for sale! [-] rounds!"

Everyone was shocked when they heard the words.

The Exchange has since revised the rules. Before buying banknotes in each session, the Exchange will give the number of banknotes to buy in this session based on the number of banknotes sold in the previous session.

Why are there so many more this time.

"27 guan?"

"Twenty-six pens with five hundred words."

"26 rounds? Does anyone else want it?"

"25 rounds? Is there anyone else?"

"Do you want 24 pens and five hundred words?"

"24 guan?"

"23 pennies five thousand! Anyone else want it?"

"23 guan!"

"Twenty-two pens with five hundred words!"

"22 guan!"

When the price has been suppressed to 22 guan, no one is holding the price with a big hand at this price, and everyone realizes that something is wrong.

(End of this chapter)