The Flourishing Tang Dynasty: Beginning with Marrying Yang Yuhuan

Chapter 149 Financing Methods
"Does General Wang have any solution to this problem?" Li Ying asked.

“Not really.” Wang Zhihuan smiled awkwardly and explained, “If we forcefully eliminate the black market, it will not only cause inconvenience to the people and cause complaints, but it will also be impossible to eliminate it completely. This is only one reason. Second, if the government intervenes to manage it, it will be inconsistent with Tang law, and the government may not be able to manage it properly.”

Li Ying asked, "Why is it mismanaged?"

Wang Zhihuan said: "The management of commerce affects the whole body. Take currency for example. Before the Tang Dynasty governed Anxi, places like Anxi mainly exchanged goods and silver. After the Tang Dynasty governed Anxi, Anxi gradually began to use cloth and copper coins. Therefore, Anxi now has four ways of exchange: barter, silver, cloth, and copper coins. Among them, in addition to Kaiyuan Tongbao, there is also Li Te money. If the government intervenes in management, these exchanges need to be regulated, but if the regulations are forced, it will inevitably cause shocks."

Wang Zhihuan didn't explain it very clearly, but Li Heng roughly understood what he meant.

What Wang Zhihuan wanted to express was that the currency in Anxi was rather messy and there was no uniform standard for pricing various items. However, if it was mandatory to only use Kaiyuan Tongbao and cloth as hard currency, it would cause a run on Kaiyuan Tongbao and cloth.

Li Ying was already quite satisfied that Wang Zhihuan could think of this.

Li Heng smiled and said, "This matter is indeed complicated. I have some ideas, but it cannot be explained in a few words. Tomorrow, General Wang will bring a few people with us to the market. I will explain it to you slowly then. Oh, and call Liu Yan along."

"Yes." Wang Zhihuan stepped back.

Others continued to report on their affairs until noon, but they had not finished yet. Li Heng asked everyone to have lunch together in the mansion. They talked for a long time in the afternoon before everyone dispersed.

Li Heng faced all kinds of problems throughout the whole day. After seeing these people off, Li Heng couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief and returned to the courtyard.

In the courtyard, Yang Yuhuan was holding Li Ling and entertaining him. When she saw Li Ying, she handed Li Ling to the nurse, then came to Li Ying, helped him sit down, and said, "My dear, you have worked hard."

Li Heng smiled and said, "You are right. Anxi does have countless things waiting for me."

Yang Yuhuan pinched Li Heng's shoulders and said, "The situation in Anxi is special. Many things are different from other places in the Tang Dynasty. Naturally, things are more numerous and complicated."

"Yes." Li Heng nodded and said, "Tomorrow I will go to the market with several officials. Madam, do you want to go with me?"

"I need to rest in the mansion." Yang Yuhuan said with a smile.

What Yang Yuhuan said meant that she had to stay at home on the pretext of illness and not go out. According to this statement, it was equivalent to imprisoning her at home for two years.

Li Heng didn't mean that, and explained: "Rest only means you can't travel far, you don't have to stay in the mansion, go out and get some fresh air, it won't have any impact."

Yang Yuhuan asked: "Is it okay?"

"Of course?" Li Heng nodded and asked, "Did you stay at home during the six months I was away?"

"Yeah." Yang Yuhuan didn't think it was a big deal, and said, "I have been recuperating for two months. For the rest of the time, without my husband by my side, I have no interest in leaving the house."

In the early Tang Dynasty, people's ideas were still relatively conservative. Women from large families had to go out less often. Even if they went out, they had to ride in a sedan chair or cover their faces. But by the time of Li Longji, ideas had become more open. Women could "show their faces in public" as long as they were not alone.

Yang Yuhuan had a lively personality and was able to stay in the mansion for half a year, which helped her to restrain some of her nature.

Li Heng sighed with emotion and said, "It's okay. I'll take you out for walks more often in the future."

"Okay." Yang Yuhuan agreed happily.

As the two were talking, a servant came and said, "Your Highness, He Jin wants to see you."

"He Jin?" Li Ying was slightly stunned and said, "Please ask her to come in."

"Yes." The servant left. Yang Yuhuan asked, "Do I need to leave?"

"No need, she is also a girl." Li Ying said.

Yang Yuhuan teased, "The girl is the one who needs to stay away. What if she talks to you about some private matters?"

Li Ying smiled and said, "Then it's up to you to decide."

As soon as Li Ying finished speaking, He Jin walked in, bowed to Li Ying, and said, "I pay my respects to your Highness and the Princess."

Li Ying asked, "Miss He, do you want to see me for something?"

He Jin looked up and saw Yang Yuhuan standing next to Li Ying with her hands on Li Ying's shoulders. The two of them were moving casually, but it was this casualness that showed how deep their feelings were.

He Jin shook his head and said, "Your Highness saved me in Longzhou, and I came here to thank you."

As he spoke, he presented the gift list to Li Heng.

He Jin came from a merchant family, and his way of expressing gratitude was very simple, which was to give money.

Li Ying took the gift list and took a look at it. He saw that it said rare treasures and was very valuable.

The things on the gift list are just outside the mansion. As long as Li Ying nods, He Jin will have someone send them over.

Li Ying pondered for a moment, returned the gift list to He Jin, and said, "I originally wanted these things, but if I accept them, others might accuse me of taking bribes. How about this, you give these things to me in another way."

Yang Yuhuan was stunned when she heard this. In her impression, Li Heng was definitely not someone who would accept bribes indiscriminately.

She wanted to remind Li Ying tactfully, but then she thought that Li Ying was overthinking and it was very likely that Li Ying had another idea, so she didn't say much and just listened quietly.

He Jin didn't know Li Ying well enough, and thought that Li Ying really wanted money, so he said, "What method should I use? Your Highness, please tell me."

Li Heng said, "The Anxi branch post station can no longer accommodate the caravans, and the roads also need repairs. Did you know this?"

"I know." He Jin nodded.

Li Heng said, "I want to build more inns, but the Anxi government doesn't have the money to spend on this, so I thought, since building more inns is mainly for the convenience of the caravans, why not let the caravans pay for it."

He Jin was shocked and said, "Your Highness, even if the He family tried their best, they couldn't repair a few more."

"It's not just the He family who should repair it." Li Heng stood up, "In a few days, I will invite all the merchants in Anxi to a banquet. At that time, I will ask everyone to pay for it. You, the He family, can take the lead."

He Jin said: "This is feasible, but even if we take the lead, others may not be willing to follow."

Li Heng said, "I won't let you spend money for nothing. Although the newly renovated inns are nominally owned and managed by the government, you won't have to pay for living here in the future. Not only that, I will also share the extra income from the renovation with you."

He Jin understood Li Heng's meaning in an instant and asked in confusion, "So Your Highness has gained nothing?"

"That's not the case." Li Heng smiled. "To ensure that Anxi's trade routes are smooth and convenient for the people, that's the biggest benefit to me."

(End of this chapter)