As Cai Ji's wedding date approached, more and more guests flocked to the former Huangxian County and now Longkou City from all directions. Among them, there are not only families who sit on thousands of acres of fertile land, businessmen who have made great fortunes in national difficulties, but also Confucian scholars who are determined to level the world, and Taoist priests who travel all over the world. There are even many people who admire Cai Ji, and they also took the trouble to come on foot to see the style of their own envoy marrying. In the face of the guests from the rich family to the three religions and nine streams, the state pastoral mansion was so busy that it was too busy to put its feet on the ground. Not only did they send additional soldiers to maintain law and order inside and outside the city, but they also secretly sent many spies to guard against spies and assassins from fishing in troubled waters. After all, if the wedding is ruined, it is small to lose face and cause bad luck, and it will be very happy and sad to hurt your own lord and even the guests present.

On this day, Longkou City welcomed the largest and most luxurious group of guests to date. Three four sets of carriages decorated with Shu brocade ran at the front, followed by ten carts. Two were loaded with fine brocade silk, two were loaded with rare spices, two were loaded with rich lacquerware, two were loaded with large boxes of jewelry and antiques, two were loaded with various gold and stone calligraphy and paintings, and twenty fine horses followed. Such a gorgeous convoy swaggering through the market will inevitably attract people's mouthwater. Therefore, the convoy was also guarded by a cavalry of more than 200 people, plus nearly 300 servants. Judging from the banner, it was a private corps that was not affiliated with any prince, but it was equipped with enough equipment to discourage any one who tried to fight a convoy.

Surrounded by his ministers, Cai Ji stood at the gate of the city to greet guests from afar, his scarlet cloak fluttering in the wind. In fact, Cai Ji, the owner of this team, is no stranger, but he didn't expect that the other party would come to Donglai to congratulate him with great fanfare at this time. In a short time, three or two carriages were lined up at the gate of the city under the protection of the cavalry, and then four men got out of the carriage. Among them, the Bronze Hou Xiahou Huan. Zhen Yao, the third son of the Zhen family in Zhongshan, and Wang Han, a Hun horse merchant, are already Cai Ji's old acquaintances. But the other young man was a face he had never seen before.

"I've seen Cai Yuanjun." Zhen Yao took the lead and led a group of people to bow to Cai Ji, and then introduced the strange man to Cai Ji and said, "Envoy." This is Sima Xin, a grain merchant in Zhongshan. I heard that the wedding of the envoy was imminent, so I came to congratulate Yao and others. ”

The latter hurriedly stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Cai Jibi: "Sima Xin has seen Cai Yuanjun. ”

Zhongshan grain merchants? What a young grain merchant! I don't know if the Sima Xin in front of me will have anything to do with the Sima family who is known as the one who weighs Li? However, in contrast, Cai Ji was more interested in Zhen Yao's intentions. Notice. Zhen Yao's sister Zhen Ji married Yuan Shao's second son Yuan Xi as his wife as early as last year. As Yuan Shao's in-laws, during the sensitive period of confrontation between the two armies, he came to Longkou in a high-profile manner to congratulate Cao Cai on his marriage. It is inevitable that people will be suspicious. At this moment, of course. Cai Ji will not ask the doubts in his heart directly.

The personalities of the princes of this era were relatively distinct. For example, Gongsun Du has a rough temper and loves to put on a show. Yuan Shao has a good face, but he has a very small heart. Cao Cao will not attack on the spot compared to Yuan Shao, but if someone really offends Cao Mengde, he will inevitably be counted in the future. In contrast, Liu Bei is much more generous to others, that is, he does not put on a show, and he does not repay him. No wonder although the strength is not strong, it has an excellent reputation. Cai Ji is a woman. In the era of the law of the jungle, he is in charge of a state, and he cannot be as arrogant as Yuan Shao and Gongsun Du. Of course, it is unrealistic to learn from Liu Bei and sleep with others at every turn. In this regard, Cai Ji adopts the standard of grasping the word "humility". So far, at least, it hasn't caught the grip on the fastidious rotten maniacs.

It's not. Huang Zhen, who was standing behind Cai Ji, invited everyone on Cai Ji's behalf in a timely manner, "Rank Lang Jun has come from afar, and he has worked hard all the way. The envoy has prepared a feast for the kings in the city. Rank Lang Jun, please enter the city. ”

Cai Ji and Zhen Yao and others made a "please" gesture to each other. Under the guidance of Huang Zhen, he took a carriage and fish into the city. As for the accompanying team, they were left outside the city to make other arrangements. After more than three months of renovation, today's Longkou City is larger than in the past. The main road leading to the Mansion was paved with new and smooth bluestone slabs, and the merchants on both sides of the street spontaneously renovated their storefronts. If it is changed in later generations, this move will inevitably be criticized for saving face. But this is in the Han Dynasty, and the fight is for face.

The hall of the governor's mansion is steaming, the sweet incense in the air is faintly visible, and the surrounding walls are painted with bright colors by painters who paint the fairyland of the banquet of the Queen Mother of the West in Yaochi, and the beautifully decorated scales sparkle under the reflection of the lanterns. As the musicians played melodious music, Zhen Yao and Tong Yu Hou escorted Cai Ji into the hall from left to right, followed by Wang Han and Sima Xin, and then Huang Zhen and other Longkou civil and military bureaucrats. Guo Jia, Jia Xu, and Tai Shici did not participate in today's reception banquet.

However, this did not affect everyone's interest in pushing the cup and changing the lamp. After three rounds of drinking, Wang Han, a horse merchant with a red nose, looked at the newly painted courtyard pillars around him, and praised him, "Longkou is really the first city in the world, and Cai Envoy Jun is really the first capable minister in the world." ”

As soon as Wang Han said this, the Longkou civil and military forces present all exuded a trace of pride. It is undeniable that although Wang Han's words are suspected of being sycophants, Longkou City itself deserves to be the first city in the world, both in terms of scale and wealth. The reason why Longkou has been able to develop from a small coastal city to the largest port in the world is due to Cai Ji's painstaking management over the years. However, Cai Ji, who is the founder, said quite modestly, "Wang Langjun praises falsely. If it weren't for the merchants of the world, including the monarchs, who came to Donglai to sell goods and do business all the year round, how could Longkou City have today's scenery. ”

Zhen Yao waved his hand after hearing this, "Make Jun too humble." Just ask what kind of granary in the world can be as full of grain like gold and salt like silver like Donglai. The king ordered Donglai to fill the warehouse with grain and salt, and merchants from all over the world flocked to it. Longkou can have today's achievements, isn't it the work of the king? ”

Zhen Yao's words hit the nail on the head and pointed out the key to the rapid growth of Cai Ji's forces over the years - food and salt. Both are necessities to ensure human survival. However, in the troubled times of the late Han Dynasty, these two necessities were lacking. For this reason, profit-seeking merchants flocked to Longkou from all directions like bloodthirsty sharks, and at the same time brought supplies from all over the world to Longkou, making it a distribution center in the north. However, the key to Donglai's real profit is not food, but salt. As the saying goes, the people take food as the sky. Without food, the people will rebel, and the army will mutiny. Cai Ji was so bold that he didn't dare to let grain be bought and sold freely.

In contrast, table salt is much more flexible in its maneuverability. At present, Donglai County is the world's largest salt supplier. Although there are also salt farms in Dongwu and Shuzhong to produce salt. But they all adopt a relatively primitive salt boiling method. Not only does it require a lot of manpower and material resources, but the output is even more pitiful. Self-sufficiency is not enough, let alone an export. The salt factory in Donglai adopts the salt drying method brought by Cai Ji from later generations, which saves manpower and has a large output. Cai Ji sits on the oldest salt works in the Central Plains. With the most advanced salt production method of this era, it is difficult not to monopolize the salt industry.

However, Cai Ji did not simply sell salt as a daily necessities. Just as the Middle Eastern chieftains who monopolized the oil market in later generations used oil to settle large international transactions. On the basis of ensuring the supply of salt to the local people, Cai Ji used salt as a currency to settle transactions with the merchants. Thus, in the late years of the Eastern Han Dynasty, when the monetary system had long collapsed. It has established its own financial credit. Financial creditworthiness refers to the creditworthiness and ability of the borrower to repay the debt. In layman's terms, it means that a person or organization can obtain money or goods first. The limit for future payments. Cai Ji is undoubtedly one of the princes with the highest financial credit in this era. This meant that she could mobilize far more resources than any other prince. At the same time, due to the establishment of a loan relationship with Cai Ji, many businessmen, landlords and even famous families have formed a certain "friendship" with him. At this moment, the congratulators from all over the city are the best proof of this.

However, Zhen Yao and the others didn't know that Cai Ji's ambitions were not limited to this. Later generations of bankers once said, "Credit is the foundation of a bank's survival." The same applies to a country, a force. Cai Ji, who is holding a grain bag in one hand and a salt shaker in the other, has the foundation of survival. Naturally, it is necessary to attack a higher goal. But seeing that she looked around at the guests present, she smiled leisurely, "Since you trust this mansion so much. I wonder what I think of this thing? ”

After saying that, Cai Ji glanced at Seluban under the hall. Seeing this, Sailuban, who knew about it, immediately asked the little guy behind him to show everyone the vermilion lacquer plate with him. "Ladies and gentlemen, please see, this is a newly minted five-baht coin from the lord of my family."

Zhen Yao and the others took a look when they heard this, and saw several yellow, orange and orange coins on the vermilion lacquer plate. From the point of view of appearance, this money is round on the outside and square on the inside, and the word "five baht" is cast on the front with seal characters, and the word "Donglai" is on the back. Unlike the common Han five baht, this coin is golden in color and is clearly not made of bronze. But when he saw Xiahou Huan, the Marquis of Tongqi, pick up a coin, his eyes widened and exclaimed: "Jun Zhen is the richest man in the world, and he actually minted five baht with red gold!" ”

Who knew that Cai Ji waved his hand disapprovingly, "The Copper Marquis also misunderstood." This is not red gold, but brass. ”

"Brass? How can copper be such a color? The Marquis looked at Cai Ji in surprise, obviously not believing that there was a metal in this world that was so close to gold in color. If it weren't for his identity, he would have taken a bite of the copper coin in his hand to distinguish the authenticity.

It turns out that the "brass" mentioned in the Han Dynasty is not a copper-zinc alloy in the later sense, but chalcopyrite. In later generations, some people falsely rumored that the Han Dynasty people did not distinguish between gold and brass, which was unfounded. Because the Hanting court has a gold official who is specifically responsible for gold mining, and a copper official who is responsible for copper mining. As for copper-zinc alloy, according to the original historical trajectory, it should be the technology of the Ming Dynasty. However, since Cai Ji has traveled to the end of the Han Dynasty, the synthesis of copper and zinc into brass is no longer a technology that transcends time and space.

"This coin was minted by the Kaiwu Division by a secret method. The material used is indeed copper. Brass is harder than real gold, just try it. Cai Ji said frankly. As for the Kaiwu Division she mentioned, it is a department dedicated to R&D technology that is in charge of Seruban and Duan Rong. "Kaiwu" refers to the development of all things by man. Taken from, "The Biography of the System": "The husband "Yi" opens things into business, and risks the way of the world, and those who are just like this. ”

Tongyao and Zhen Yao were both born in a family and read a lot of books, and when they heard the word "Kaiwu", they knew what this division was responsible for. And Wang Han is a big old man, but when he saw him slap his thigh, he laughed excitedly, "What if it's harder than real gold." How many people in this world have ever seen real gold? So that you have a little stone into gold secret art! ”

Wang Langjun's words are wrong. Donglai is based on faith in order to have today's achievements. How can this government deceive the people of the world? Cai Ji shook his head again and again.

When Wang Han saw Cai Ji say this, although he was itching, he could only reluctantly echo, "Make Jun a true gentleman!" ”

Of course, Cai Ji is not a gentleman. Passing off brass as gold may take advantage once or twice, but at the cost of a collapse of the financial credibility of one's own painstakingly managed finance. What's more, the profit that Cai Ji's next plan can earn is much higher than that of fake yellow scarves. In fact, the reason why Cai Ji uses brass to mint money is mainly for anti-counterfeiting. In the era of coinage circulation, "bad money drives out good money" is undoubtedly a thing that makes rulers tremble. The so-called "bad money drives out good money" means that when a country circulates two currencies with different actual values at the same time and the legal ratio remains unchanged, the currency with high actual value (good money) will inevitably be melted, collected or exported and withdrawn from circulation, while the currency with low actual value (bad currency) will flood the market.

For example, after the fall of the Qin Dynasty, the early Western Han Dynasty still used the Qin system of half a tael coin, because the private minting was allowed, the money system was more chaotic, so that the pod money weighing only one gram appeared. There are also folk cut edge half taels, that is, some speculators will Qin half taels, with scissors to cut a circle, seven to eight half taels, you can cut a half tael of bronze, with the cut copper to cast half taels, so that the guide zhì currency imbalance, that is, "bad money drives out good money". At that time, after Lu Hou found the problem, he actively started the reform of the currency system, in order to prevent the cutting of the edge, on the basis of the square hole round money, and added the perimeter, and set five baht as the weight unit, which led to the continuation of the two Han "Han five baht". However, because Dong Zhuo wantonly minted inferior small money in the name of the country, he completely destroyed the credit of Han Wubaht. Later, each prince went his own way and minted his own copper coins, which made the situation of bad money driving out good money more and more intense. The people who had suffered heavy losses abandoned the various copper coins and returned to the original state of barter. In the end, the princes of each family only collected grain, salt, cloth and other goods in kind.

It was in view of this situation that Cai Ji was forbidden to use brass to mint new money in order to rebuild the credit currency. At least the "Donglai Five Baht" in front of you is clearly different from the bronze Han Five Baht in terms of appearance and material. Those speculators have not been able to master the imitation technology for a while.

So after stating his principle of never counterfeiting gold, Cai Ji said to everyone, "This government has decided that from the beginning of spring next year, the people of the prefectures and counties under the jurisdiction of this government are only allowed to trade with 'Donglai five baht'. Bronze 5 baht, gold, silver and other coins need to be exchanged for huàn into 5 baht at the market price before they can be used. The five baht of Donglai are all minted by the state capital, and those who cast them privately will not be forgiven! In the future, the state pastoral government will use half of the five baht to buy grain, grass, cloth, salt and other materials, and the other half will be imported into the market and sent to the people. Whoever holds five baht in Donglai and can't buy supplies in the shop can exchange them for a ration of materials at the official price in the state warehouse. ”

As soon as Cai Ji's words fell, he only heard a bang, and Sima Xin, who was sitting next to Zhen Yao, shook his hand and dropped the ear cup on the ground. (To be continued)