Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, Datang has always allowed private individuals to mint money, until the time of Emperor Jingtai, it was expressly forbidden to mint money privately, but there are too many miscellaneous money in the market in these decades, plus the money made by the imperial court itself is not good, so until now, the money circulating in the entire shopping mall of Datang is all kinds of money, especially in the past year, business is booming, and unified coins have become a matter that needs to be solved.

At the beginning of the year, Li Jun gave an order to the Mo family to make coins that are not easy to forge and suitable for shopping malls as soon as possible.

On this day, Li Jun was walking in the imperial garden with the red sleeves that were about to be produced, only to see a little chamberlain come over and whisper a few words in He Shen's ear, Li Jun smiled bitterly: "Red sleeves, it seems that I can't accompany you today." ”

Red Sleeves immediately smiled and said: "Your Majesty, state affairs are important, there are so many palace maids waiting for the concubines here, don't worry." ”

Li Jun kissed the red sleeves on the forehead, and then took He Shen to Shangshutai, He Shen had already explained everything to Li Jun on the way, it turned out that the Mo family giant Yusuo sent someone to take the money mold of the new money.

Li Jun came to Shangshutai, Yu Su just wanted to salute, but was helped up by Li Jun, Li Jun smiled and said: "The old gentleman has worked hard, there is no need to work hard to enter the palace in the future, if there is anything to inform me, I can go to Moyuan." ”

"Your Majesty is too polite, this is a gift for a minister." Yu Chau said immediately.

After Li Jun gave Yu Su a seat, Yu Su handed over a brocade box to Li Jun, Li Jun opened it and nodded with satisfaction: "Old man, the appearance is still very good, as for the materials and something, you still need to introduce it." ”

Yu Su looked at the money model in front of him and said intoxicatedly: "Your Majesty, this money is called five baht money, there is a wheel without Guo on the front, and there are all kinds of wheels on the back." The money is about two centimeters in diameter and weighs about four grams. The "five" character is obliquely straight or curved; The "Zhu" head of the word "baht" is square-folded, and the head of the word "gold" is smaller, as if it is like an arrow. A few coins have a horizontal stroke on them, and their material is changed to copper, so they can also be called copper coins. ”

Li Jun took the money mold in his hand, looked left and right, and didn't know if it was a historical coincidence, or what, this coin was similar to the money minted by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty in another time and space, Li Jun was in college for a while, he was very obsessed with ancient coins for a while, and he went to the museum to see the five-baht coin, Li Jun's impression of the five-baht coin is very similar to the one he is holding in his hand now in terms of shape and weight.

But as far as Li Jun knows, although the five-baht coin is a major change in the history of Chinese coins, there is also a fatal shortcoming, that is, the anti-counterfeiting is very poor, that is to say, this kind of coin is actually easy to imitate, so Li Jun asked: "Old man, how much copper does the five-baht coin contain?" ”

Yu Su immediately replied: "Copper is seventy into five, and lead is two into two." ”

Li Jun shook his head and said: "No, there is too little copper, it is best to increase the copper to eighty, so that it will be unprofitable to mint money, and it can effectively prevent someone from forging five baht coins." ”

"If it is eighty percent copper, it is difficult to form the coin, please think twice, Your Majesty." Yu Su said with a frown.

"Sir, I have an idea, I might as well try a hydraulic forging press."

As soon as Li Jun's words came out, Yusuo's eyes lit up, and he slapped his forehead heavily and said, "Oh, it seems that the old minister is really confused, why didn't I think of such a good way." ”

Li Jun smiled and comforted: "Old man, what do you think is the most important thing about the people of the Mo family?" ”

"Effort is the most important thing." Yu Su said without hesitation.

Li Jun shook his head and said, "That's a bad word, old man, I feel that for the Mo family, inspiration and unbridled imagination are the most important. ”

Yu Su carefully recalled Li Jun's words and sighed: "Your Majesty, the old minister has been taught. ”

The people of the Mo family are stubborn people, after Li Jun pointed out the direction, the people of the Mo family quickly came up with results, this time the money model Li Jun was very satisfied, in order to encourage the Mo family to make persistent efforts, Li Jun generously agreed to the Mo family's request to go to Yushan County to open the ink garden.

At this point, all the sons and hundreds of families, except for the Yin and Yang family, have all entered the Jade Mountain, and Li Jun thought about it carefully afterwards, the cement that the brother-in-law made up has not been rewarded yet, so it is better to agree this time.

In order to avoid harming the government, Li Jun deliberately put the battlefield of the hundred schools of the princes in Yushan, away from the political whirlpool of Chang'an, anyway, there is Gantang in Yushan, and Yang Xiong, the big Buddha is in town, as long as the hundred schools of Zhuzi do not break the sky, there is no problem.

After the Mo family left happily, Li Jun first recruited Zhao Yan into the palace, and Zhao Yan still didn't change at all, with a straight face every day, as if someone owed him money.

After Zhao Yan saw Li Jun, he stood aside after respectfully saluting, Li Jun coughed and said, "Tingwei, I want to hear how many private cases there are this year?" ”

These things naturally couldn't be difficult for Zhao Yan, a workaholic, and Zhao Yan immediately replied: "Since this year, there have been more than 300 cases of private casting, and nearly 10,000 people have died due to private casting, and there are countless people who have died in private fights and committed suicide in fear of crime. ”

Li Jun nodded and said, "Sima Da wrote it down and wrote it in the holy decree." ”

"No." Sima Da immediately recorded it.

Hearing Li Jun say this, although Zhao Yan knew that it was best for him not to ask about this matter again, he still couldn't help but say: "Your Majesty, when Jing Taiye was alive, he had already legislated to prohibit the private owners of copper coins, but after more than ten years, the people still privately cast the fashion, and the minister, as a court lieutenant, is guilty. ”

Li Jun said with a smile: "Aiqing doesn't have to blame herself too much, in fact, the main responsibility for this matter is still in the imperial court, the law can only control honest people, but it can't control those who are traitorous and evil, and it can't control those who are consumed by profit, and the people who privately mint copper coins are those who are blinded by lard, these people can't be eradicated by the law, at this time, you need to cut off their back road and make them unprofitable." ”

"Your Majesty means recoinage?" Zhao Yan asked cautiously.

Li Jun nodded and said: "Exactly, now our Datang uses half a tael, half a tael seems to be a low cost and a large profit, since this is the case, then I will change a currency, change a currency that makes people unprofitable." ”

"Your Majesty." Zhao Yan said convincingly.

Li Jun waved his hand and said: "Zhao Qing, don't be so old-fashioned in the process of law enforcement in the future, the law is ruthless but people are affectionate, my Tang Dynasty is not the Qin Dynasty, and I will not do things in full accordance with the law, so you must know this matter in your heart." ”

"Obey." Zhao Yan replied immediately.

After Zhao Yan left, Li Jun sighed helplessly, he hoped that Zhao Yan could understand this guy, the people of the Legalist family are indeed very useful, but there is one point, that is, they are too stubborn about the law, so most of the time the people of the Legalist family will not end well, Li Jun really doesn't want Zhao Yi to follow in the footsteps of those predecessors of the Legalist family.

Zhao Yan's matter was put aside by Li Jun first, and then he regained his spirits and called Zhang Zhi over, Li Jun was not polite at all after seeing Zhang Zhi, went straight to the point, threw the new coin to Zhang Zhi and said: "Zhang Qing, I am ready to abolish all miscellaneous money and implement this kind of coin throughout the country, do you think it is feasible?" ”

Zhang Zhi carefully observed the new money in his hand and then replied: "Your Majesty, this new money is indeed very good, suitable for national promotion, but now it will be implemented immediately, the minister thinks that he is still a little anxious, the means of those local heroes and powerful ministers know that these people will never bear this loss themselves, they will pass on this loss to the people, and I am afraid that the people's hearts will be unstable at that time." ”

Li Jun didn't think about this level of interest, but now when he heard Zhang Zhi say this, Li Jun was scared into a cold sweat, Haoqiang is well-informed, and the people are closed, and when the time comes, Haoqiang can make a time difference, throw miscellaneous money to the people, and then continue to exploit with new money.

Li Jun solemnly arched his hand to Zhang Zhi and said, "Thank you Zhang Qing for reminding me, otherwise I would have made a big mistake." ”

Zhang Zhi immediately hid to the side and hurriedly waved his hand and said, "Your Majesty, you can't do it, this is the responsibility of a courtier." ”

"Okay, I don't worship you, I worship for those people, and those who will be officials in the future should be like Zhang Qing, putting the interests of the people first, rather than obeying the orders of the monarch." Li Jun said very seriously.

"Your Majesty said this, and the ministers are taught." Zhang Zhi and Sima Da immediately said.

Li Jun coughed and said, "Zhang Qing, since you can't abolish miscellaneous money right now, is there any other way for Zhang Qing to do it?" ”

"Your Majesty, the minister has two suggestions, the first is that the agricultural tax is still not moved, as long as the people pay taxes, no matter what money is used, but after the commercial tax is issued from the new money, it is necessary to take the new money to pay the tax, the second is that I Datang should set up a new agency, the main task of this agency is to collect miscellaneous money, send new money, that is to say, the imperial court in accordance with the policy of one new money for two miscellaneous money to slowly reduce the amount of miscellaneous money on the market, these two points are two-pronged, the minister feels that the miscellaneous money will be withdrawn from the market in less than two years, When the time comes, Your Majesty will be able to issue a decree to prohibit it. Zhang Zhi said confidently.

Li Jun nodded with satisfaction and said, "Zhang Qing's words are very agreeable, especially the last one. ”

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for the compliment." Zhang Zhi hurriedly said modestly.

Li Jun continued: "Zhang Qing, I have an idea, Zhang Qing might as well help me refer to it. ”

"Your Majesty, please speak."

"I feel that since we are going to set up a new institution, we can't just take care of the two businesses of issuing money and redeeming money, we can also borrow, Zhang Qing thinks about a businessman who goes to Jiangnan from Guanzhong to do business, how unsafe it is to take money on the road along the way, we can help businessmen deposit money in the new institution, and then give a voucher, let them go to Jiangnan to get it, and we will charge interest in it, wouldn't it be better?" Li Jun smiled and threw out the concept of a bank in the future.

After listening to this, Zhang Zhi fell into deep thought, and then said convincingly: "Your Majesty is wise, Rong Chen should think about it when he goes back." ”

"Zhang Qing went by himself, I thought of the last excerpt for me, and we will discuss it together."

"No, Your Majesty."