The third emperor of the Sui Dynasty

Chapter 856

The contents of the special issue of "Ban Yue Tan of the Great Sui Dynasty" continued to ferment, and centered on cities such as Luoyang and Daxing, it spread to all parts of the Great Sui Dynasty.The reason why Yang Tong chose to promote it during this period is naturally because there are monarchs and envoys from various countries in Daxing City. He hopes that these people will bring this news back to other countries, so as to make a wave of advertisements for the National Bank of Dasui. The ultimate goal is undoubtedly It is hoped to use banknotes to plunder the wealth of various countries. After all, in today's world, the Sui Dynasty is the center of the world, and every move of the Sui Dynasty is subtly affecting the surrounding countries and being followed by others.

If banknotes were collected and used by nobles from all over the world, it would be an earth-shaking change for the Sui Dynasty. After all, no matter how beautifully printed banknotes are, they have no value in themselves. They are just a medium to replace barter. If they cannot be exchanged for real Gold and silver are just a piece of waste paper in the end. If you want to deceive people, you only need to replace the new currency in the country, and then abolish the old currency, which will hurt the muscles of all countries.

Of course, it is credit that maintains the paper currency system. Once the credit collapses and the word of mouth is corrupted, it will be impossible to rebuild it.So unless it is absolutely necessary, don't use this method of harming others and benefiting yourself.

On the twelfth day of the twelfth lunar month, Yang Tong disguised himself and walked around the West Market, wanting to hear whether the people agree with the bank. Ever since he entered the West Market, he could hear people talking about the bank all the way, which shows that it is still very popular. It will continue to ferment, which is also Yang Tong's wish.

Luo Shixin and Fang Xuanling also joined Yang Tong in the private interview. All three of them were dressed as literati. As literati, it is normal for Yang Tong and Fang Xuanling to have a refined temperament, but Luo Shixin was surprising.

She was dressed in a clean white cotton gown, and the sleeves were blown by the north wind, and the straight sleeves were tightly attached to her body, revealing a strong torso. The clothes looked thin, but she was not afraid of the cold wind at all.A pair of thick eyebrows like a knife like a sword, his eyes are bright and energetic, and his nose is full of courage. The whole person seems to be a little more calm and serious than before.

This temperament alone has surpassed countless Korean and Chinese martial arts, and coupled with his good looks, he has a somewhat majestic and heroic Zhou Lang demeanor, but once he opens his mouth, this temperament will be ruined. It is very similar to Yang Tong, but the ethos of the court is driven by these rough people, causing Confucian scholars such as Fang Xuanling to be dirty at every turn, filled with the atmosphere of rough men.

Ten Xuanjia troops followed them far away, and there were many guard posts around them. They also heard that the puppet Tang assassins had entered the country and were about to assassinate the emperor. All of them seemed very nervous, staring at the three without blinking. They especially stared at Yang Tong, for fear that he might make a mistake, but they forgot that the assassins had already been sternly targeted by the Black Ice Terrace fighters, and had already "sneakily" assembled in Wugong County, and they also forgot both Yang Tong and Luo Shixin. They are unrivaled generals who are proficient in the way of assassination, and those who can defeat them are still in Yicheng City.

When they came to the city office where the bank was located, they found that there were many people watching the excitement, and some of them were some well-dressed Hu merchants who came to investigate and control.

After all, in this era, whether it is real gold and silver or gold and silver bills, it is not a safe thing. If it can be settled with a money order, it will be too convenient.It's just that the money order is a new thing after all, and no one dares to try it first, fearing that they will get nothing in the end.

However, at this moment, a Da Sui got down from a gorgeous carriage and walked towards the bank with a few attendants. These attendants were all carrying shriveled leather bags, and they seemed to be withdrawing money.

Seeing this, Yang Tong followed many merchants to watch.

When the middle-aged wealthy businessman entered the hall, a retired soldier with a broken arm stepped forward and asked enthusiastically, "May I ask what the envoy's name is? Is it a remittance or a withdrawal?"

"I'm Zheng Fengchi, I'm here to withdraw money." The middle-aged businessman said with a smile.

As soon as the words "Zheng Fengchi" came out, everyone was in an uproar.

This man is a well-known cloth merchant. His status in the historical Li and Tang Dynasty is comparable to that of Shen Wansan in the Ming Dynasty. Not exaggerating, he even showed off his wealth in front of Li Yuan, saying that if a piece of silk was hung on every tree in Zhongnan Mountain, his family would still have a surplus.When his daughter was married, there were thousands of dignitaries and guests, and when the bride came out, there were hundreds of beautiful servants and maids, all of whom were dressed in jewels and jewels, with hairpins and shoes, so radiant that people couldn't tell which one was the bride.It's just that there was no sound later, and his fate is probably similar to that of Shen Wansan, because he violated the emperor's taboo and funded Li Tang's army in his own name.

Now it is far from being the richest man in the Sui Dynasty, but he has been going back and forth on the Silk Road, earning a lot of money. He is considered a very successful businessman in the Sui Dynasty. Yang Tong has also heard of his name.

"Emissary Zheng, this way please." The disabled soldier said.

"Thank you." Zheng Fengchi's current status is not as glorious as it was in history, and he knows the influence of the Sui Army in the Western Regions and the court's emphasis on disabled soldiers, so he is not so arrogant.

The disabled soldier took him to a window, and saw that the window was separated by an iron fence, and people inside and outside could pass through the gap.

Zheng Fengchi seemed to know the bank (bank) better. He handed in a beautiful money order, his household registration and seal, and said, "I have a money order of [-] guan, which needs to be exchanged for [-] silver coins."

"Please wait a moment." The personnel inside checked it out, and then recorded the number and amount of the money order in detail, and then counted out the number of silver coins, put them in two trays, pushed them out from the hole below, and handed another one Receipt: "Please confirm the receipt, and carefully count the coins. Once you leave the counter, you will not be responsible. Also, because your amount is large, we will charge you a consistent amount, that is, one silver coin."

"I know that."

Zheng Fengchi carefully read the receipt and signed his name after confirming that it was correct. Soon, several attendants were counting at the counter.

Before long, Zheng Fengchi's entourage had been counted and put into bags separately. The 4999 bills of exchange were exchanged for [-] silver coins (excluding one as a fee), converted into the current decimal system, which weighed [-] catties, even if Zheng Fengchi's entourage Young and strong, with a blushing neck and a thick neck, it would be even more terrifying if it was exchanged for copper coins.

"The bank really paid the silver coins! And it's true that it only charges the usual fee. If it's [-] in [-], it would be [-]." The businessman who watched from a distance said in surprise.

"Originally, I sold the goods and wanted to rush back to Yecheng for the New Year, but when the road was blocked by heavy snow, I was worried that the coins would not be safe, so I would just send the money and travel lightly," said a businessman.

The disabled soldier introduced: "Don't worry, everyone, the money order is not only specially written with deposit and withdrawal addresses, but also has an independent number and password. Others cannot copy it. Even if it is lost, you can use your identity to send and receive bank inquiries Then withdraw all the money, but it will take some time."

"I'm from Mayi, can I remit to Mayi?" Someone asked.

"I'm sorry, because the money order has just been issued, it can only be processed in Luoyang, Daxing, Yecheng, Zhuojun, Taiyuan, and Jiangdu at present, and it will gradually spread to all counties in the next year."

"Then I deposit here, can I go to Taiyuan to withdraw money?"

"Of course, we only need to fill in Taiyuan, and you can go to Taiyuan to get the money. If we fill in Zhuojun, you can go to Zhuojun to get the money."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

The people from Yecheng and Mayi who were asking questions, as well as many people in need, also left one after another. Seeing that Zheng Fengchi had withdrawn the money, they believed in the court more, so they all ran to exchange the money for money orders.

……

This effect made Yang Tong very satisfied, so he left with Luo Shixin and Fang Xuanling tacitly without staying any longer.

Get out of the City Administration Bank and walk towards the rice shop in the west.

Food prices are the weather vane for measuring prices in these years. Once the price rises, it starts with food first. Therefore, the municipal administrations have to keep an eye on the price of food every day. Once the increase is close to [-]%, they must report to the Ministry of Commerce and send people to investigate .Due to the heavy snow blocking the road, Yang Tong still pays attention to one or two every day, but compared to the actual inspection, it is a different feeling.

The West Market is divided into more than 100 kinds of businesses, each of which is grouped together for operation. The rice store with the largest area covers a whole street, and there are more than [-] rice shops in total. Warehouses for storing food, but this is only a small part of each warehouse, and the main warehouse needs to find another land.

Or because of the upcoming Chinese New Year, there are so many people who come to buy rice, the whole street is crowded with people, and there are long queues in front of every shop.

Yang Tong casually walked into a rice shop to watch, and found that a large shed had been set up in the grain sales yard, and there were many grain tubes inside, on which were hung the name of the grain written in charcoal and the price of the day, such as millet, wheat, grain, rice, millet, bean, etc. Wait, the place of origin is different, and the price is also different.

The imperial court was mainly concerned with the price of rice, because the production of rice in Liaodong and the South was relatively stable, and the price did not fluctuate much, so it was suitable for use as a reference.

Although corn and wheat are the main grains produced in the north, their yields vary greatly due to the influence of climate and locusts from time to time.And as the main artery of the canal penetrated the whole territory, the mainstay was smashed, so a large amount of rice from Liaodong and the south poured into the central area, especially in Luoyang, Daxing, Yecheng, Taiyuan and other metropolises. More than half of the people ate rice .

Just as Yang Tong, Fang Xuanling, and Luo Shixin entered the courtyard, a famous clerk came up to him and asked, "Do you want to buy rice?"

The crowd in line immediately clamored loudly, "They're not in line, so you can't sell them!"

Fang Xuanling quickly said, "We're not here to buy rice, so don't worry!"

"Then why are you jumping in line?"

"We Jiangnan grain merchants want to know the price of grain. If it is economical, we will cooperate with Daxing grain merchants."

"So that's the case, please do it yourself."

Everyone is relieved.

The clerk asked Yang Tong, who was obviously the leader: "What does Shi Jun want to know?"

Pointing to a sign, Yang Tong asked, "The price of rice is [-] qian for a bucket of rice. What do you mean here?"

The clerk laughed and said, "Your envoy is joking, now besides my Tai Sui coins, what money do you have?"

"Do you accept gold and silver tickets?"

The clerk smiled and said: "It is accepted, but first you need to identify the authenticity, and the minimum amount of the bank note is one silver coin, which is quite consistent. You can buy five shi of rice, and ordinary people usually don't buy so much. It is very troublesome to identify the authenticity and give change, so not many people use it."

Yang Tong and Fang Xuanling looked at each other with wry smiles, and finally understood the reason why the gold and silver tickets were not popular among the common people.

The common people have always been careful and careful in their daily lives. They first calculate the value of the things they need to buy, and then add dozens of dollars on this basis, and finally go out to buy. Now the smallest denomination of banknotes is one silver coin. It is a huge sum of money, if it does not cost so much, they will not carry it with them; another reason is that they are afraid of encountering counterfeit banknotes compared to real coins, so they dare not accept them.

For shops that sell low-priced daily necessities, it takes time not only to identify the authenticity of bank notes, but also to find change. How can there be copper coins that are bought and paid immediately?
Yang Tong kept this matter in mind, and walked and looked around, and found that several kinds of rice with similar quality had completely different prices, so he asked with some doubts, "Why is there a difference of eight cents between these two kinds of rice?"

The clerk laughed and said, "It's not only surprising you, but almost everyone who buys this rice asks. In fact, the difference in price is due to the different origin."

"Tell me."

"To put it simply, Liaodong rice is not as delicious as Jiangnan rice, so Liaodong rice is eight cents cheaper. If it weren't for the high shipping costs of Liaodong rice, it would probably be even cheaper."

Yang Tong looked at the rice with the word 'Shu' written on it, "Yizhou rice sells for a lot of money, is it because of the high shipping costs?"

"That's right." The man nodded and said, "Yizhou was still occupied by the puppet Tang Dynasty. There are few roads leading to the Sui Dynasty, and the transportation is inconvenient. It must be transported to Jingzhou first, and then transferred to Daxing from Jingzhou. The price is at least [-]%. Forty wenhua is on the way again. Jiangnan rice was also very expensive last year, but after I recovered the south in the Sui Dynasty, a large amount of rice went northward safely, and the price dropped all at once. When we recover Yizhou next year, Yizhou rice will also drop In the final analysis, it is the common people who benefit.”

"You firmly believe that Tai Sui will definitely win?" Yang Tong asked with a smile.

"With the presence of the Great Sui, it's hard not to win."

"It's so discerning!" Yang Tong pointed up and praised.

The guy grinned, "I think so too."

"Haha!" Yang Tong was amused, and after thanking him, he went for a walk around the butcher shop and meat shop in the north.

Seeing that noon was approaching, the three of them went to the restaurant to find a restaurant for dinner. After entering the restaurant, they found that the business was booming.

This restaurant is three floors high.The first floor is mainly used to receive low-level people such as peddlers, traveling merchants, martial arts schools, etc. The second floor is a place for literati, scholars and merchants, and the third floor is a private room. The entire restaurant is divided in an orderly manner.

Seeing the extraordinary temperament of the three people, the man planned to welcome them to the third floor.But Yang Tong shook his head and refused. Although the private room was clean, he didn't like it. The second floor could hear important events in the world and anecdotes from various places from various merchants, which was more suitable for Yang Tong and the others.

When they went upstairs, they found a seat by the window and sat next to a table of teenagers dressed as students, a dozen guards sat downstairs, and another ten followed up to the second floor, sitting on the sidelines to observe the surrounding situation.

The three of them ordered a jug of fruit wine, and ordered seven or eight special dishes. Perhaps they came late, and the dishes had already been served at each table, so the cook was quicker. After waiting for about a moment, the waiter brought the food and wine.

While the three of them were eating and talking, the discussion of the students at the table next to them caught the attention of Yang Tong and Fang Xuanling.

A student said: "Bank deposits and loans are beneficial to the people, and money orders are convenient for the people. Both are good governance, but what I don't understand is the gold and silver bills. No matter how beautifully printed and waterproof this thing is, it is just paper. If Some people carry tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of gold and silver bills, maliciously go to a bank in a certain county to exchange money, but the bank can't cash it, wouldn't it make the imperial court lose its reputation? If the people are deceived, they hear that their hard-earned money has become Waste paper will definitely cause trouble. What is even more frightening is that the promotion of silver bills and storage has caused the court to hoard a large amount of gold and silver. This will definitely attract the envy of countless people. Disaster, that is the real disaster."

"I don't quite agree with this statement!" A boy with a childish voice said: "First of all, there is no large business of more than [-] guan in the county, so each person's daily exchange amount should not exceed [-] guan, even if there is such a large needs, you must make a request to the bank in advance, give the bank time to withdraw cash from other places, and then exchange it after ten days. This clause will surely become popular with the expansion of "Half Moon Talk". Tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands, and the demand must be obtained, that is unreasonable. I am afraid that I will be arrested and interrogated before I go out. How can I have the opportunity to spread rumors to the outside? Even if I am not arrested, the people will think that this person is unreasonable. Secondly, what I want to talk about is gold and silver bills, which can only be issued by the imperial court, and ordinary people issuing coins privately is a serious crime of genocide, and the rewards are so generous that Lian Zhun was reported when he wanted to print them."

"Then what do you think of this gold and silver ticket?" The person who spoke before seemed a little unconvinced.

"This is a double-edged sword. It can hurt others as well as itself, but if the court uses it properly, it will be a peerless sword."

"Unrivaled Divine Blade?" Everyone couldn't help but pause, obviously they didn't expect that their accomplices would value the gold and silver tickets so much.

Yang Tong and Fang Xuanling couldn't help but look at each other, becoming more and more interested in this topic.

"That's right." Tong Yin said: "First of all, the cash is too heavy. Now it is very convenient for the people to exchange the heavy cash for gold and silver notes. It has been published, and this special issue of "Ban Yue Tan" is also emphasizing. Secondly, gold and silver tickets reduce the loss of gold and silver. Many people have money, and they are afraid of being stolen, so they are buried deep in the ground, causing the copper coins to be damp and rust. Gold and silver are relatively soft, and there will be more wear and tear after changing hands several times, while gold and silver tickets can avoid such problems. Third, gold and silver tickets can solve the shortcomings of insufficient gold, silver and copper. As the days get better and better, the income increases People's demand for gold, silver and copper coins is increasing day by day. However, it is not easy to mine gold, silver and copper. Sooner or later, it will not be able to meet the needs of the people all over the world. The mining of gold, silver and copper will be reduced by more than [-]%, and the manpower saved can be invested in the construction of water conservancy, official roads, etc. Finally, and the most critical point, if gold and silver tickets are used by foreign countries, then Our Dynasty can use these papers to plunder all the supplies and gold and silver from various countries, and when I change them into cash in the Sui Dynasty, they will be miserable."

When these words came out, there was a breathless voice. If Da Sui used this method, it would be enough to plunder the wealth of countless countries.

Some things will cause trouble once they are revealed. The secret revealed by the boy with a tone of voice is exactly Yang Tong's ultimate goal, let alone knowing that Yang Tong is sitting next to him.

(End of this chapter)