Rebirth of Zhu Di's son

Chapter 112 Royal Bank of Ming Dynasty ([-])

"For those businessmen who want to expand their scale, they can also borrow money from banks. Whichever industry the court encourages, more loans will be given to that industry."

In this way, by controlling the investment direction and scale of bank loans, the business structure within the Ming Dynasty can be adjusted.

What Zhu Gaoxu means is to put money to work, make dead money work, and transfer idle funds to those in need.

In the words of later generations, it regulates currency circulation and creates conditions for stable economic development.

"Dad, look, if we build a county road in the Ming Dynasty and recruit 10 villagers to build the road, and spend a total of [-] taels of project funds, the people who participated in the road construction will definitely have a considerable balance after deducting their daily expenses."

"By then, the banknotes printed by the bank will be spent, the people who participated in the road construction will have money in their hands, and the road will be repaired. It can be said that it is three birds with one stone."

"After people become rich, their lives will become easier. After excluding daily consumption, they can use the remaining money to support their children's education and deposit it in the bank to increase interest."

"As long as the people deposit their money in the bank, it is equivalent to the money spent by the court returning to the hands of the court."

Zhu Di was stunned when he heard this. He didn't expect the bank to have such great power.

He felt more and more that Zhu Gaoxu was a saint who was born to know him, and he couldn't help but feel relieved.

In fact, the main functions of banks in later generations were as credit intermediaries and payment intermediaries, both of which could expand production scale and promote economic development.

Zhu Di pondered for a moment, then changed the topic in a test-taking tone and asked: "I have done some things in the past few years since I came to power. Do you think there is anything wrong with it?"

"Dad, this is not a compliment. Dad has done an excellent job since he took office."

Zhu Gaoxu responded.

"Not to mention anything else, after my father took power, he promoted early rice (Champa rice) all over the country, especially intensifying efforts to develop agricultural reclamation areas in Liaodong. This greatly reduced the population pressure in the southeastern region and also allowed Peking to Prefectures and counties in this area can eat early rice produced in Liaodong."

"Everyone in the world thinks of my father well, so I don't think anything is wrong with him."

Champa rice was popularized from Fujian to Jianghuai and Zhejiang provinces during the reign of Dazhong Xiangfu, Emperor Zhenzong of the Song Dynasty. It is said that its species came from the Champa country and got its name.

This kind of rice has many characteristics. First, it is resistant to drought and flooding. Second, it is highly adaptable and grows regardless of the location. Third, it has a short growing season, with only more than fifty days from planting to harvest.

In the Southern Song Dynasty, the planting scope was further expanded, and the east and west roads of Jiangnan and Liangzhe Road were particularly popular, which had a certain effect in preventing drought damage in the southeast.

Champa rice is combined with late rice to form double-cropping rice, which greatly increases grain yield.

In addition, the level of agricultural production in the Ming Dynasty has actually improved significantly compared with the Tang and Song Dynasties.

At that time, in the south, oxen plowing and waterwheels were already widely used, while in the north, the technology of well digging and river diversion was also becoming increasingly mature.

Therefore, after Zhu Di ordered the promotion of early rice nationwide, he won the support and support of the majority of people.

In fact, the level of agricultural production in the Ming Dynasty was not low. The fundamental reason why there were frequent financial constraints in history was the ineffective taxation and the excessive enclosure of land by the bureaucracy and the garrison army, which resulted in low enthusiasm of the people at the bottom for farming.

"Father and son, you don't need to be so cautious, just tell the truth."

Zhu Di did not intend to give up and demanded that Zhu Gaoxu must speak.

The evening sunshine passed through the main entrance of Wuying Hall, stretching the shadow of Zhu Gaoxu in the hall.

After hesitating for a moment, he said resolutely: "If it must be brought up, I suggest that father issue an edict to cancel Ding Fu, or encourage widows to remarry."

Zhu Di's expression changed when he heard this. He looked at Zhu Gaoxu as if he had seen a ghost and asked, "Do you know what it means to cancel Ding Fu and encourage remarriage?"

Zhu Gaoxu replied: "The Ding Fu restricts the increase of population. Canceling the Ding Fu will encourage births and increase the population."

The Ding Fu of the Ming Dynasty is the head tax, also known as Ding tax, Ding money, Ding silver or body Ding money. It is a tax levied on a Ding mouth basis.

Ding Fu taxed men, and its nature was to use money in lieu of service.Such as "gengfu" in the Han Dynasty and "yongqian" in the Tang Dynasty.There are many Ding Fu levies in each generation. The difference lies in the different regulations on the age of adulthood and the different tax rates.

"As the population of the common people increases, the imperial court can select more outstanding civil and military talents. In this way, the Ming Dynasty's national power can continue to be strong and maintain its status as a heavenly kingdom that suppresses all nations in the world!"

"My child knows that if the imperial court abolishes Ding Fu, the people of the world will shout for a holy king to rule the world, but most of those squires, landowners or officials with many black families attached to their names will never agree."

"But it has been 31 years since the founding of the Ming Dynasty. The population has not increased very fast. Dad wants to create a prosperous age. My son feels that now is a good time to cancel the Ding Fu."

When Zhu Gaoxu dared to write a letter of advice to Zhu Yuanzhang, it was because he knew that Zhu Yuanzhang would not do anything to him, so he was confident.Now he spoke out boldly, but he did not speak arrogantly in front of Zhu Di because of his own merits, but he sincerely wanted to make suggestions for the prosperous age of Yongle.

After Zhu Di heard this, he remained silent.

Zhu Gaoxu continued: "As for encouraging widows to remarry, they are enemies of those who believe that 'the husband will die to keep his integrity'."

The reason why he mentioned widow remarriage is because the Ming Dynasty was influenced by Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism in the Song Dynasty, and the current public attitude towards remarriage is unfriendly.

Many people in the world say that Qin's laws are strict, but Qin's laws do not stipulate that women must observe moral integrity.

After the establishment of the Han Dynasty, considering the excessive number of casualties in the war at the end of the Qin Dynasty, in order to encourage childbirth, the court ordered widows to remarry and stipulated the age at which women could get married. This gradually gave rise to the ancient Chinese custom of early marriage and early childbearing.

In the Tang Dynasty, due to the influence of the Wei and Jin Dynasties, coupled with the country's wealth and military strength, women's social status was greatly improved, and a large number of very representative women appeared, such as Empress Wu Zetian, Princess Taiping, Shangguan Wan'er, etc.

In the Song Dynasty, women began to be required to bind their feet, and the trend of "a woman's lack of talent is a virtue" emerged. The idea that women were not allowed to remarry also began to appear. Cheng and Zhu Neo-Confucianism believed that keeping moral integrity was more important than life and death.

After the founding of the Ming Dynasty, the idea that women could not remarry was still popular in society. Even if a woman had no children, she had to continue to support her deceased husband's parents after her husband's death, and the deceased husband's parents would live alone after their death.

Even if you don't have a source of income, you don't have to worry about it. Even if you do embroidery and sell embroidery, you will even be criticized.

Fortunately, with the establishment of Jinling Women's Hall and the popularization of new ideas about women's ethics, this deformed concept that women cannot remarry has gradually been improved.

Childbearing is a woman's greatest ability and should be respected.

Women should not be forcibly deprived of the right to remarry for the so-called "chastity arch", or even starve to death, die of illness, and spend the rest of their lives miserably.

Zhu Gaoxu believes that in order for women in the Ming Dynasty to regain a certain degree of social status, they must start by encouraging remarriage.

After young women remarry, they can also have children, which also promotes population growth.

"This is a serious matter, please let me think twice."

Zhu Di never expected that Zhu Gaoxu would have such courage and vision.

After a moment of silence, he had to change the topic again.

"I plan to assign Hu Yan, a scholar from the Imperial College who has extensive knowledge in astronomy, geography, laws, calendars, divination and other knowledge, to concurrently serve as a doctor of mathematics at Jinling Academy of Sciences. He will learn the management methods of Jinling Academy and lay the foundation for the future restructuring of the Imperial Academy. What do you think about preparing for Changke Academy?" Zhu Di asked.

"My child has no objection." Zhu Gaoxu bowed.

He knows this person.

Hu Yan passed the imperial examination during the Hongwu period and had a profound knowledge of astronomy and latitude.

After Zhu Di entered the East Palace, he learned that Hu Yan knew astronomy, so he asked Qin Tian to supervise his examination. It was found that he was indeed knowledgeable about latitude and climate.

Soon after, due to Xie Jin's recommendation, Zhu Di asked Zhu Yuanzhang to grant Hu Yan the position of Imperial Academy Reader, and he would be on duty in Wenyuan Pavilion together with Xie Jin and others.

When Hu Yan served as Zhu Di's adviser in the cabinet, he was straightforward and never competed with others.

After Zhu Di succeeded to the throne, he recruited Fang Xiaoru to join the cabinet. In order to maintain the balance of the seven-member cabinet, he changed Hu Yan to the Imperial Academy to serve as a minister of wine. After that, Hu Yan no longer participated in machine affairs.

At that time, the usage of the Imperial College was strict, and those who went home on personal leave would be sentenced to guarding the border.

After Hu Yan took office, he immediately abolished this unreasonable rule.

"Dad, if there's nothing else, do you want me to leave first?"

Zhu Gaoxu asked respectfully.

Zhu Di nodded with a serious face and said: "Bank matters are of great concern. You go back and draw up a charter and submit it."

"My son, I obey the order." Zhu Gaoxu bowed and said.

PS: I stayed up late and finally finished this chapter.Please beg for recommendation votes, monthly votes, and all kinds of support!If there are any typos, I would like to ask fellow readers to catch them.

(End of this chapter)