big song poppi

Chapter 324 0321 [The Korean thief’s vicious thoughts]

By virtue of his mission to Shandong, he persuaded Han Zhen to give up his alliance with the Jin Kingdom.

With the help of a group of loyal ministers and righteous men, Sun Fu and Li Gang were promoted together.

Sun Fu was promoted to Minister of War, and Li Gang was promoted to Minister of War.

However, the official positions of the three provinces and six ministries are virtual. The real power department that controls the military department now is the Privy Council.

But Sun Fu and Li Gang didn't care. With this official rank, they could be assigned real power at any time in times of crisis.

During the month that Li Gang returned to Kyoto, he was thinking about how to use green money to defeat the Korean thieves.

However, everything was ready, but it was discovered that there was no east wind at all.

"what?"

"Can't be copied?"

Li Gang looked at the craftsman in front of him with disbelief on his face.

No matter how superb the craftsmanship of the craftsmen in the official workshops of Shandong is, can they still compare with the generals and supervisors in the capital?

If he really had that ability, he would have been recruited as a general supervisor and a master craftsman a long time ago.

The master craftsman smiled bitterly and said: "Ms. Li, it's not that I'm not trying my best, but that I really can't imitate it. The ink on this green coin is magical. Unless we can get the rough secret recipe, it will take decades. There is no way to do it."

secret recipe?

Li Gang never thought about it at all.

More than half a year has passed, and the spies from the Imperial City Department and the Privy Council can't get the secret recipe for gunpowder. With Han Zhen's character, it's a big deal if he can get the secret recipe for ink.

Li Gang still refused to give up and asked: "There are countless capable people in the general prison, but there is nothing you can do?"

The master explained: "Li Xianggong is not good at this. It is not surprising that he has such an idea. The method of mixing ink seems simple, and the materials used are sparse and ordinary, but in fact there are thousands of changes in the ratio, one centimeter more, one millimeter less. , the effects of blending vary widely.”

"This ink can change colors. It should use no less than twenty kinds of materials, some of which are not yet common. If you start from scratch and mix it slowly, you may be able to make it, but it will take thirty to fifty years, or even hundreds of years. .”

Li Gang frowned: "It's so difficult, so how did the craftsmen under Han Thief make it?"

The master craftsman replied: "When the craftsman is mixing, he occasionally has a flash of inspiration or makes a mistake. It is not surprising that this opportunity occurs."

Any innovative invention comes from these two situations.

Either it was a flash of inspiration or it was a mistake.

"You just step back."

Li Gang sighed and waved the master to retreat.

No wonder Han Zhen dared to print and distribute paper money even though he knew about Jiaozi's old troubles. No wonder Xie Ding had no reservations about him. It turns out he was confident.

Just one color-changing ink will jam the counterfeit banknotes.

Thinking of his month-long plan, Li Gang couldn't help but laugh at himself.

The sun sets in the west.

Li Gang left the mission and left the imperial city with a group of colleagues.

Taichang Temple is a leisurely yamen, in charge of rituals and music, suburban temples, and community affairs. It is also responsible for the affairs of the suburban community, Taiyue, advocacy, imperial medicine, divination, temples, and other ancestral temples.

On weekdays, there is almost nothing to do. It is only during festivals and large-scale activities such as worshiping heaven and ancestors that things get busier.

Outside the imperial city, a crowd of bullock carts had been waiting for a long time. After Li Gang said goodbye to his colleagues one by one, he got on the bullock cart with the help of the driver.

Li Gang was an honest official. Although the official salary of Zhao and Song Dynasties was extremely generous, it was simply wishful thinking for him, a fourth-rank Taichang Shaoqing, to buy a house in Tokyo with his salary.

Even if you include the wealth his father saved, it's not enough.

He currently rents a small house with two entrances at Xijiaozi Gate, which is located on the outermost edge of the inner city.

For such a remote residence, the monthly rent is as high as [-] guan.

Want to live somewhere cheap?
  Yes, there are a lot of cheap places in the outer city, or even outside the city.

But it was far away from the imperial city. If you wanted to go up, you would have to take an ox-cart for an hour or two.

If there are road jams, it will take even longer.

When Ouyang Xiu first came to the capital as an official, he was short of money and could only rent in an alley in the outer city, sharing a yard with seven or eight other families.

Li Gang sat in the car and closed his eyes to relax.

He was thinking about the current situation in the world in his mind.

This trip to Shandong made him realize one thing. The Korean thieves were in control of the situation and had already established a firm foothold. It would be difficult to get rid of them, but it was not impossible.

The Jin people going south was an opportunity.

As long as Taiyuan blocks the Jin army on the north route, when the Korean bandits and the Jin people are fighting for both sides, the hundreds of thousands of troops stationed around Shandong can be mobilized to annihilate the Korean bandits in one fell swoop.

Even if they cannot be annihilated, they can still recover Jinan Prefecture and the states east and west of Beijing.

By then, the Han bandits will retreat to Qingzhou, with only a few states and unable to afford much trouble.

Just as I was thinking about it, the driver's voice came from outside the carriage: "Master, we're home."

"Ah."

Li Gang slowly opened his eyes, opened the curtain and got out of the bullock cart.

Stepping into the home, he saw his wife checking accounts with her brother-in-law in the front yard and living room.

The male lead outside, the female lead inside.

All the money in the family is left to the wife to take care of.

Li Gang actually disapproved of his family's business, but when his wife Zhang threw the family's monthly expense accounts in front of Li Gang, he immediately fell silent.

There is no way, the cost of Tokyo city is too high.

Eating, drinking, having sex, exchanging favors, entertaining guests, plus rent all cost more than a thousand guan per month.

His annual salary and benefits are barely enough to deduct his rent.

Of course, the imperial court clearly stipulated that officials were not allowed to engage in business. Therefore, most officials will find their wife's brother-in-law or a branch of the clan to act as a white glove.

"My husband is off on business."

Mrs. Zhang helped make a cup of hot tea.

Li Gang sipped hot tea and absentmindedly watched the two of them checking their accounts.

Suddenly, my brother-in-law took out a wad of green money from his sleeve pocket and handed it to his wife.

Zhang took it without changing his expression, obviously this was not the first time.

Li Gang's pupils shrank suddenly and he asked loudly: "Where did this money come from?"

"Husband, don't be surprised or startle me." Mrs. Zhang rolled her eyes at him angrily.

Li Gang repeated with a serious look: "I ask you where this money comes from?"

Hearing this, Mrs. Zhang explained enthusiastically: "Oh, my husband is talking about Qingqian. This is passed down from Shandong, and it is very useful. The style is exquisite, and the authenticity can be known at a glance. Nowadays, Tokyo City is better Businessmen are all using it, it is easy to carry, there are thousands of coins, it is light and airy in the arms, it is not as bulky as copper coins."

Li Gang asked: "How many people are actually using it?"

"How do you know who this concubine is? There are a lot of them anyway."

As Zhang spoke, he counted the green coins in his hand. At the end, he sighed: "After all, green coins are more convenient. You can figure it out after just counting them. In the past, you had to check the quality of the copper coins and weigh them. My back is sore from walking down there.”

At this moment, Li Gang felt a surge of worry and fear deep in his heart.

Holding back his fear, he asked in a slightly trembling voice: "Can this green money be circulated in Tokyo?"

"It's natural, many merchants are rushing to buy it." Zhang said matter-of-factly.

"It's over, it's over!"

Li Gang's heart skipped a beat and he murmured to himself.

Seeing his appearance, Mrs. Zhang was frightened and asked with concern: "Mr. sir, what's wrong with you?"

After he came to his senses, Li Gang cursed angrily: "The Han thief has such a vicious mind!"

Green money cannot be copied, and it is extremely easy to identify the authenticity. Just look at the color of the ink to tell whether it is genuine or not. Even a child in the countryside can identify it.

The most important thing is that Qingqian, unlike Jiaozi, is currency that circulates directly on the market.

Such convenient paper money will quickly win the favor of businessmen.

Li Gang already knew this when he was in Yidu.

What he didn't expect was that the green money had already circulated in Tokyo in such a short period of time.

Moreover, judging from the attitude of his wife, she has completely accepted green money as a currency of circulation.

But the problem is, no matter how green money is, it is still a credit currency, just a piece of paper. How high can the cost be?
  How many you want to print depends entirely on Han Thief's mood.

By then, when merchants in the Song Dynasty begin to accept green money, the Korean thieves will be able to continue to print green money and make large purchases in Zhao and Song Dynasties.

When the money in the Song Dynasty expands to a certain level, all connections and trade routes between Shandong and the Song Dynasty will be cut off.

At that time, countless grain, iron ore and other items will eventually turn into pieces of waste paper... Jiaozi's old misfortune will repeat itself.

Thinking of this, Li Gang felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, his hands and feet were cold.

"No, I want to go to the palace immediately to face the saint."

After saying that, Li Gang hurriedly got up and ordered the driver to drive the ox cart and drive him towards the imperial city.

At present, green money is only circulating in a small area in Tokyo City and has not spread throughout the Song Dynasty. We must take advantage of this moment to nip the conspiracy of the Korean thieves in the cradle.

Otherwise, by the time green money circulates throughout the Song Dynasty, it will be too late.

Along the way, Li Gang looked anxious, as if he was sitting on pins and needles.

When they arrived at the imperial city, the city gate had already been closed.

"Stop coming, the city gate is closed!"

On top of the city tower, the soldiers guarding the city shouted loudly.

Li Gang opened the curtain of the carriage, stood on the shaft, and said loudly: "I am the Minister of War, Taichang Shaoqing Li Gang. I have something important to report. Please open the city gate quickly!"

Not long after, the city gate opened from the inside, Li Gang jumped out of the ox cart and hurriedly entered the imperial city.

At this time, Song Huizong was having dinner with Empress Zheng.

After hearing the eunuch's report that Li Gang had something important to report, Song Huizong wanted to refuse. He didn't like this minister very much. He was stubborn and didn't know how to adapt.

However, thinking of Li Gang's meritorious service, Song Huizong still ordered: "Let him wait in Ruisi Hall."

Empress Zheng advised: "Since I have something to ask for, the officials should go quickly."

"It's very urgent."

Song Huizong waved his hands and didn't care.

Seeing this, Queen Zheng sighed slightly and said no more.

After finishing the meal slowly, Song Huizong ordered a cup of tea himself. After enjoying it, he went to Ruisi Palace in a hurry.

Stepping into the main hall, Song Huizong came to sit behind the desk and asked, "What's the matter with Li Qing?"

Li Gang was as anxious as an ant on a hot pot. When he saw Song Huizong, he immediately said: "I ask your Majesty to issue an order to prohibit the circulation of green money in the Song Dynasty!"

"Green money?"

Song Huizong was stunned and asked with confusion on his face: "What is this?"

"This is the banknote with the hairstyle of a Korean bandit from Shandong. Your Majesty, please take a look."

As Li Gang said this, he took out a green coin with a denomination of ten guan from his sleeve pocket and presented it to him.

After taking the green money, Song Huizong looked at it with great interest and commented: "Yes, these mountains are majestic and charming. I don't know who created them."

Hearing this, Li Gang was so angry that he almost lost his breath.

(End of this chapter)