Rebirth of Zhu Di's son

Chapter 421 There are now seven government-run banks in Ming Dynasty
"Am I harsh on businessmen? What a joke! I don't allow private banks to set up banks and anything related to it. This is to prevent the people's hard-earned money from being misappropriated by private banks."

"An official once proposed to me that each prefecture should be allowed to open a private bank, and at the same time the local government would strengthen the supervision of the bank. This argument sounded good at first, but when it is actually implemented, it will inevitably be a collusion between the government and businessmen. , just defrauding people of their money."

Zhu Gaoxu said in a deep voice: "Although private banks cannot be opened, there are now seven government-run banks in Ming Dynasty. The branches of these banks in various provinces and counties recruit professional talents and recruit people to be responsible for specific operations and various matters. For business, the court is only responsible for supervision, verification, etc.”

"In this way, it can not only prevent officials from being idle, but also provide a way out for more scholars who have not been admitted to the Jinshi. Naturally, they will not dare to easily violate corruption and other prohibitions."

Today, the Ming Dynasty has the Royal Bank, the Hubu Bank, the Industrial and Construction Bank, the Sinong Bank, the Shibosi Bank, the Qinfan Bank, and the Foreign Affairs Bank.

Royal Bank and Account Bank have been introduced in previous articles, so I won’t go into details this time.

ICBC is a bank mainly established to provide loans for infrastructure construction such as roads, bridges, water canals, etc. in private towns and villages.

As the name suggests, Sinong Bank is a bank that supports Si Nong officials in townships and towns. It is mainly established to promote the development of rural agriculture.

Shibosi Bank is mainly a bank that provides loans and other financial services to merchants engaged in overseas trade.

As the name suggests, the Qinfan Bank was in support of the Ming Dynasty's feudal kings in establishing their country overseas. It mainly provided business such as nation-building loans to the Ming Dynasty kings.

Foreign Affairs Bank is a bank established for foreigners from abroad. It mainly handles the exchange business of Ming Dynasty treasure banknotes for foreigners. It also involves the handling and introduction of business such as studying abroad, doing business, and traveling in Ming Dynasty.

Among these seven banks, the Royal Bank of the Ming Dynasty is equivalent to the highest bank, and the Bank of Accounts is equivalent to the designated bank for collecting taxes and paying salaries to officials. The two jointly manage all banks in the Ming Dynasty, including themselves, and the other five Both of the businesses involved in the bank can be handled.

In addition to deposits, withdrawals and loans, the core businesses of the remaining five banks are highly targeted and differentiated.

"I do not allow civilians to privately manufacture steam locomotives and other related accessories without the authorization of the imperial court. Otherwise, they will be punished for treason. This is to prevent the core technology of steam engines from flowing into the hands of foreigners."

"As for private mining sites, smelting plants and other things related to the manufacture of firearms, they must be authorized by the court. One is to prevent the leakage of firearms manufacturing technology, and the other is to prevent private manufacturing of firearms from private citizens and causing all kinds of chaos."

Zhu Gaoxu frowned and said: "Think about it, if you just disagree with someone and you can take out a gun and kill someone, wouldn't the world be in chaos?"

He didn't want Ming Dynasty to turn into the Citistate hundreds of years later in history. It was a shooting war every day, and many ordinary people died on the streets without knowing how.

It was not difficult for Bai Xiaoyun to understand these, so he did not refute anything.

Zhu Gaoxu said coldly: "As for the merchants clamoring that the taxes I have imposed on them are too heavy, this is purely because they do not know what is good and what is evil!"

At present, goods in the Ming Dynasty must pay taxes to the Municipal Shipping Department before going to sea. Goods must also pay taxes to the Shipping Department before returning from overseas and entering the inland. When buying and selling carriages and ships, you must pay vehicle and ship taxes.

Mineral tax must be paid when the imperial court authorizes mining, Fangxiang land use tax must be paid for authorized use of Chengfang and Chengxiang land, land tax must be paid for transferring land use rights, and property tax must be paid for real estate transactions and gifts.

"Then Your Majesty, aren't you afraid that future generations will judge you for being unkind with heavy taxes?" Bai Xiaoyun asked with some lack of confidence.

"I have experienced too much pain in my life and seen too much suffering among the people. Mine tax, boat and vehicle tax, real estate tax, land use tax and other taxes have little relevance to ordinary people. Only those wealthy farmers and big businessmen with rich family assets can There will be a possibility of paying taxes.”

Zhu Gaoxu said with a cold face: "It's nothing if they pay some taxes, but the Ming Dynasty's treasury is rich. In times of disaster, more ordinary people can be treated. Compared with the well-being of the people in the world, my little fame is nothing." What does it matter? What’s more, I am not being unkind, but rather benevolent!”

If Bai Xiaoyun has some enlightenment: "The Taoist Scripture says: 'Heaven and earth are unkind, and treat all things as rudderless dogs; saints are unkind, and regard the common people as rudderless dogs.' Your Majesty's attitude towards businessmen is already like that of a sage."

The first half of her sentence probably means that the world has no self-consciousness, does not contain any human moral and moral feelings, is neither biased nor tyrannical.

Heaven and earth are impartial, and they will treat all things equally and without distinction, just like a mutt dog. They will not favor it or value it because it has value, nor will it despise it because it has lost its value.

The same is true for saints, who are not unkind and unjust in the literal sense, but are selfless and selfless, which looks like unkindness in comparison.

Is Zhu Gaoxu harsh on businessmen?

When it comes to various taxes, they do seem harsh.

However, merchants relied on their merchant attributes to obtain a variety of tickets, so that they could make more money. Even giant merchants from extremely wealthy countries (overseas vassal states) can be found everywhere in today's Ming Dynasty.

At the same time, Zhu Gaoxu treated farmers and workers the same way. Both farmers and craftsmen had rights that businessmen could not enjoy.

For example, the interest rate of Sinong Bank's loans to farmers is usually as low as no interest for one-year loans. The interest rate for two-year loans is one-third of the normal one-year loans from Shibosi Bank. As for the three-year loans, The interest rate is only half of that of an ordinary one-year loan from Shibosi Bank!

This is also his intention. Using agriculture and industry to restrict government and business is the way to achieve long-term balance.

"What is a rudimentary dog? It is a dog made of thatch. It was a kind of sacrifice used in ancient times to replace a real dog."

Zhu Gaoxu continued: "People work hard to chow the dog and worship it, not because they prefer it, but because they want to place it in the place of sacrifice. After the sacrifice, they will throw it away. This is not because they dislike it. , but no longer needed.”

"Things are put to their best use, people are put to their best use, everyone performs his duties, and everyone keeps his/her duties. In this way, the world is well governed, and it can be said to be a prosperous age."

Zhu Gaoxu paused, looked at Bai Xiaoyun and said, "I can listen to you this time and classify Moxi as a place where merchant families are exiled. Those who live in Mobei will work for two years, and those who live in Moxi will work for four years."

He changed the topic and said: "But at the same time, I also want to make a decree to ask the provincial branches of the Ministry of Household Taxation Bureau to strictly investigate businessmen who evade taxes. Once discovered, they must be dealt with in accordance with the law. If they should be beheaded, their homes should be ransacked, and if they should be, they should be beheaded. Fines and fines will never be tolerated!”

"Even if I die in the future, the kings of future generations must not violate this will. I cannot miss the country and the country for the sake of temporary benevolence!"

(End of this chapter)