"Brother Chaomin, you really want to go to that Yue ...... Is that the loyal and brave marquis? ”

"It's not about defecting or not defecting, the Marquis of Zhongyong invited me to wait until his general's mansion to serve, this is to look up to us, where does the so-called cold window of our generation come from, and don't you want to serve the court for the benefit of the people? Now that there is such an opportunity to come to us, what are you waiting for? ”

In a guest room of the largest Good Luck Inn in Hunyuan Prefecture, Hou Fangyu, Mao Xiang, Gu Tian, Chen Zhenhui, Fang Yizhi and other scholars were fiercely arguing, among which Hou Fangyu's reaction was the most intense.

I saw Hou Fangyu say excitedly: "Brother Chaomin, I think that Yueyang was originally just a general, but he opened a few acres of wasteland in Hunyuan Prefecture, and paid some money to the imperial court every year, and now he is using this to blackmail the emperor to add an official to himself and become a knight, what kind of virtue does such a person with bad intentions have, how can such a person with an unhealthy mind be worthy of my generation to go to take refuge?" I think that my generation of scholars should be self-cultivation and morality, and should be far from villains and gentlemen, have you forgotten? ”

"Brother Chaozong!" Mao Xiang retorted: "Brother Xian's words are wrong, I think that the loyal and brave marquis came to Hunyuan Prefecture for only two years, and then the Hunyuan Prefecture was so prosperous, and hundreds of thousands of displaced people were placed properly. ”

"Well, Brother Chaomin has a point!" Several companions next to him nodded frequently, and a scholar with a somewhat dark face said: "Brother Chaozong, I have been waiting for more than a month to come to Hunyuan Prefecture, and I know a lot about this Hunyuan Prefecture. To tell you the truth, looking at my vast territory, how many places can be so peaceful here? Although it can't be said that the house is not closed at night, at least the people can settle down and work, they can eat and dress warmly, compared to other places in the Ming Dynasty, it is already heaven, Brother Chaozong, what do you want? ”

"Yes, Brother Chao. I know that you and the Marquis of Zhongyong have had some unhappiness, but this is a trivial matter after all, so why should you be angry? Someone next to him also started to help.

Seeing everyone speaking for Yue Yang, Hou Fangyu felt that the whole person was not good. He snorted coldly and said: "Brother Chaomin, Brother Dingsheng, everyone has their own ambitions, and if you want a certain future, the younger brother naturally doesn't dare to stop it, but the younger brother will never take refuge in him, since you have decided to stay here, then the younger brother will return to Jinling, let's meet again in the future." "Finished. Hou Fangyu stood up and brushed his sleeves away.

"Brother Chaozong ......"

"Brother Chaozong ......"

Everyone stayed one after another, but Hou Fangyu walked very resolutely, and after everyone looked at each other, they had to shake their heads helplessly, and sighed: "This Hou Chaozong, it seems that he is still thinking about the events of that day?" ”

The meeting between everyone and Yue Yang in the restaurant that day really couldn't be called pleasant, especially Hou Fangyu was scolded by Hai Lanzhu on the spot, and these people naturally didn't forget it.

After finishing speaking, Mao Xiang turned his head to a companion beside him and said, "Brother Dingsheng, now we have decided to take refuge in that loyal and brave marquis." It's just that I wonder if the loyal and brave marquis will use us? ”

The name of the person who became Dingsheng's brother was Fang Yizhi, and Mao Xiang, Hou Fangyu, and Chen Zhenhui were called the four sons of the late Ming Dynasty by later generations. But in fact, it's just a matter of writing a few articles, and it's not very useful to the country and society. What is needed to appease the people and govern the state capital is real talent and the ability to help the world, so I don't know if a few of us can enter the eyes of the loyal and brave marquis, and this has to be known to him. ”

"Hmm. Also. Mao Xiang thought about it and laughed: "It's useless for me to think too much, so it's better to go to the Zhongyong Marquis Mansion to recommend yourself first." If the loyal and brave Hou is willing to use us, we will naturally be happy, and if he looks down on us, then we will have to return to Jinling. ”

"Brother Chaomin is very right!" Several scholars around also nodded frequently, "Let's try it first, whether it's a mule or a horse that comes out for a walk." ”

"Alright, let's go!"

Mao Xiang is a person who can do what he wants, and after finishing speaking, he took the lead in getting up and taking a few like-minded friends out of the inn and walking towards the Zhongyong Marquis Mansion.

An hour later, Mao Xiang and the other three were sitting in the living room of the Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion, looking at the Yue Yang in a python robe in front of them with a slightly nervous and respectful gaze.

While Mao Xiang and the others secretly looked at Yue Yang, Yue Yang was also carefully looking at these three people, although his face was very strict, but he secretly thought in his heart: "I didn't expect that the four sons of the late Ming Dynasty in later generations except for Hou Fangyu, the remaining three came, but these people are all from the Donglin Party, and they are a little difficult to use." ”

Yue Yang, who came from later generations, knew too well what the Donglin Party was.

The Donglin Party was a bureaucratic government group dominated by Jiangnan scholars in the last years of the Ming Dynasty. The "party" of the "Donglin Party" is a friend party rather than a modern political party.

By the end of the Ming Dynasty, the power of the salt merchants, maritime merchants, and chaebols in the south of the Yangtze River had swelled to a very large extent, and by this time, these big salt merchants, sea merchants, and chaebols were no longer satisfied with their financial needs, they needed greater power.

In the Wanli period, the commerce of the Ming Dynasty was already very good, and there is a passage that describes the commercial prosperity of Jiangnan during the Wanli period.

"The national salt class, Huai lives in half of it, and Changlu, Jiechi, Liangzhe, Chuanjing, Guangchi, and Fuhai live in half of it. Although the following Changlu has increased classes, it can still support me, and Huai is really embarrassed. The initial quota of Huai class was 900,000, and now it has increased to 1.5 million. So that the government, Hong, Long, Wan of the business, on the day of the increase in classes, should be more than good. Those who have the foundation of business probably belong to the people of Qin, Jin and Huijun. In the heyday of Wanli, the capital in Guangling was no less than 30 million taels, and the annual interest could be 9 million taels. Only one million is lost, and three million is used for unwarranted expenses, and the public and private are sufficient, affecting monks, Taoists, beggars, maids, bridges, and Fanyu, and there are still 5 million left. The business fat family moisturizes, so that it is inexhaustible, and the use is inexhaustible, so far can imagine its prosperity. ”

It can be seen from the above passage that during the Wanli period, Jiangnan had to hand over at least nine million taels of tax silver to the imperial court every year, and in the Apocalypse year, after the gentlemen of the Donglin Party usurped the government through the three major cases, the commercial tax paid by Jiangnan to the imperial court became less than two million taels.

The wonderful performance of the three cases of the Tongguò Ting Attack Red Pill and the Removal of the Palace, the Donglin Party finally took control of the government for the first time after Wanli's death. They immediately forced Taichang to abolish various industrial and commercial taxes. It fully exposes the role of the Donglin Party as the spokesperson of capital.

At that time, there was an imbalance in the development of various regions of China. Jiangnan industry and commerce, and almost no taxes to pay. The peasants in the northern provinces could hardly endure the high taxes and could not afford to eat in the event of a natural disaster. Moreover, the war in Liaodong was tight, and the treasury was empty. Chongzhen had to increase his apportionment to the peasants. In this way, the peasants in the north, who had already made a tight life, went bankrupt, and thousands of peasants became homeless, and finally Li Zicheng entered Beijing, and Chongzhen committed suicide. Wu Sangui led the Qing army into the customs, and the tragedy began.

In the face of Yue Yang's gaze, Mao Xiang and the others couldn't help but be a little hairy, they glanced at each other and asked boldly: "Master Hou, after I came to Hunyuan Prefecture, the residents here now live and work in peace and contentment, which is quite a paradise. I waited for a few people to discuss it, hoping to contribute to the people in this place, I wonder if the Hou Ye can give me a chance? ”

"Well...... this" Yue Yang pondered for a moment, and couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed in his heart, although the Donglin Party people are hateful, they can't overturn everyone with one rod, and these four sons of the late Ming Dynasty are still famous, especially Fang Yizhi among them is quite capable of governing the place, and Mao Xiang and Chen Zhenhui are also famous essayists, poets and novelists. When his own Hou Mansion was first built, he needed a large number of literati to fill it, so it didn't hurt to accept them himself.

Thinking of this, he smiled and said, "It's rare that Mao Gongzi, Fang Gongzi and Chen Gongzi and others can afford to look up to Ben Hou. Ben Hou naturally couldn't ask for it, I don't know what the three sons want to do? ”

Fang Yizhi and the others knew that this was Yue Yang asking about the intentions of the three of them. The three of them glanced at each other, and Fang Yizhi took the lead and said: "The students are quite interested in governing the place, so they want to go to the place to experience it. ”

"Hmm!" Yue Yang nodded noncommittally. Turned his gaze to the other two. Mao Xiang smiled bitterly: "My family knows our own affairs, and the two of us don't know anything about political affairs, so naturally we don't dare to expect to be like Brother Fang." The only thing I'm good at is writing a few rotten essays. ”

"Haha......" Yue Yang laughed, "Mao Gongzi is too self-conscious, the so-called natural talent must be useful, Mao Gongzi and Chen Gongzi are romantic, Ben Hou naturally needs to borrow the ability of the two, so let's do it, the two are now a scribe in the Hou Mansion, and in the future, Ben Hou will need two people to sort out the manuscripts and many other things, and Fang Gongzi is the Ministry of Civil Affairs, I don't know if the three are willing to succumb?" ”

Mao Xiang, Fang Yizhi, and Chen Zhenhui glanced at each other, and then the three of them bowed to Yue Yang in unison and said in unison: "Willing to serve the Hou Ye......"

Mao Xiang and the other three were not the first batch of scholars to take refuge in Yueyang, nor would they be the last. Since Yue Yang was named the Marquis of Zhongyong and was granted the right to open the mansion and build teeth, 66 continued, many scholars began to take refuge in him, many of these people have real talents and learning, and naturally there are also people who come in with the purpose of messing around or sycophants, Yue Yang did not have the energy to distinguish them one by one, but arranged them all to serve as low-level officials or scribes and other positions. For Yue Yang, at present, he needs a large number of scholars to enrich his grassroots team, it is too late to cultivate by himself, he can only choose from these people, although these people have different abilities, but Yue Yang believes that over time, capable people will naturally emerge.

After dealing with the affairs of Mao Xiang and others, Yue Yang sent people to Wu Qing, Chen Zhi, Hailou and others, as well as a group of confidants, officials and generals to discuss a major matter.

"What? Master Hou, do you want to make coins? ”

In the hall, more than a dozen of Yueyang's subordinates were all stunned. Chen Zhi took the lead and said: "Master Hou, this line of coins is not child's play, if we don't get it right, we will lose even our underwear." ”

"Yes, Lord Hou, what we are passing through now in the Ming Dynasty is nothing more than copper plates and silver, and the people only recognize these two things, if you do money without authorization, I am afraid that the people will not recognize it?"

"Master Hou, this matter is a matter of importance, and I think that I need to think about it in the long run." Hailou also spoke.

Among Yue Yang's subordinates, Hailou, Chen Zhi and Wu Qing are the most familiar with civil affairs, and they have the most right to speak, and even Yue Yang has to pay attention to their collective opposition.

Yue Yang smiled: "Oh? Tell us about your reasoning? ”

Chen Zhi smiled bitterly and said: "Master Hou, I know that you now have the right to open a mansion and build teeth, and this right to mint coins is also among them." But do you know why so few people in my Ming Dynasty have minted coins over the years? And even if it is minted, it is only a small amount of copper coins secretly, and even the imperial court does not dare to mint silver coins? ”

Yue Yang asked with interest, "Oh? Why is that? ”

"Two reasons." Chen Zhi stretched out two fingers: "First, I am short of copper, and some of the only copper mines are also in the hands of a few people. And mining is not easy. Second, cost. Since the cost of minting coins is too high, I can use the same silver tael directly, so why bother minting coins? Moreover, after the silver coin is minted and circulated to the market, it is also easy for people to imitate, so it is not as refreshing as using silver directly, and the investment is too large. Think about it, if all the Ming Dynasty used silver coins, how many silver coins would have to be minted. The cost of wear, fire, and labor is enough to drive people crazy, you think, who would dare to mint coins? ”

"That's right." Yue Yang nodded, Chen Zhi was right, in the era of industrial failure, large-scale minting of silver coins and even gold coins was indeed a very loss-making business, and even the West used silver coins on a large scale after the industrial exhibition reached a certain level.

Yue Yang thought for a while and said, "Don't worry, Ben Hou said that there is naturally a basis for minting coins, and there are a few samples here." You can take a look at it first. ”

After speaking, Yue Yang grabbed a handful of coins from a wooden box next to him, and then distributed them to the hands of those around him, "Look. This is a silver coin that Ben Hou asked people to try to mint, what do you think of the condition? ”

The crowd took the coins one by one, and when they stared at the coins in their hands, almost all of them were taken aback.

"Hiss......"

"Master Hou. How are these silver coins minted? How can it be so exquisite? ”

At this time, everyone's eyes showed a delicate coin, one side of this coin was written with the four words of Ming Wansheng, and the other side was written with one or two words. There are also subtle and delicate tooth marks on the side of the coin. The surface of the coin is also engraved with small but delicate geographical reliefs of mountains and rivers, and the whole coin looks more like a scenic handicraft than a coin.

Chen Zhi nodded with his hand, and felt that this silver coin was about two and a half finger widths and weighed about half a tael. He thought for a moment and asked, "Master Hou, how much does it cost to mint this coin?" ”

Yue Yang said: "The cost is very low, and the price of the silver itself is only about 20 yuan. ”

"What, only twenty wen?" The crowd exclaimed in unison.

Especially Hailou, he was even more surprised: "How is it possible? Could it be that Hou Ye is making fun of me and so on? With such a fine coin, how can twenty coins be minted, and two taels of silver are about the same! ”

It is no wonder that Hailou was surprised, in this era, such a fine coin has to be carefully made by a craftsman, and the effort and time spent are too great, and twenty yuan can be made, which is similar to a dream.

Looking at the surprised crowd, Yue Yang was very proud in his heart, these silver coins were all made by the processing factory of modern time and space, and Huaxia in modern time and space has the reputation of a cottage kingdom. Although it is too high-tech to come out, it is not too simple to make some coins. After more than two years of training, Liu Shengnan and Zhang Xiaoxiao, even a rookie who had just graduated, became a skilled white-collar worker, and the characters that Yueyang handed over to them every month could be completed very well, just like this time when Yueyang asked them to select a processing plant for coinage, they got a sample in less than half a month, which also made Yueyang very satisfied.

Looking at the people who were still immersed in surprise, Yue Yang coughed lightly before asking everyone, "Ladies and gentlemen, do you think this silver coin can be used as a tael of silver?" Will the people accept this kind of silver? ”

"Of course!" This time, Hailou said with great certainty: "Although the weight of this silver coin is less than one tael, it is worth one tael of silver for the excellent Cheng dù of this silver coin, and the only concern is whether it can be minted on a large scale to meet the needs of our North Road and even Shanxi, and there is one biggest problem, that is, we do not have a bank of our own to make this kind of silver coin." ”

"If we don't have money, let's build our own!" Yue Yang waved his hand affirmatively, and said firmly: "As long as this kind of silver coin can be brought to the market on a large scale, then we should make our own copper coins, and in the end, ......"

Yue Yang didn't finish the last sentence, because those words were still too shocking for today's people. However, Yue Yang is still moving in this direction.

In fact, Yueyang's ultimate goal is to make paper money, because later generations know that with the development of the economy, paper money to replace coins is an inevitable drive, and Huaxia is not without paper money, such as the early Ming Dynasty, but in the end due to the stupidity of the rulers and led to the premature death of paper money. For example, Comrade Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, once made a banknote worth 4 million taels of silver as a prize to Zhu Di in order to reward his son Zhu Di.

This kind of thing is undoubtedly very stupid and ridiculous in the eyes of modern people, but in the eyes of Comrade Zhu Chongba, it is a matter of course, he can print how he wants, and it is strange that such banknotes do not die young, and what Yue Yang is currently thinking about is how to pass his banknotes to the whole Ming Dynasty. (To be continued......)

PS: Sorry, it's late today. I sent my mother to the hospital in the morning, I was busy all morning, and I just finished eating at noon and had to go to my son's parent-teacher meeting, and I didn't go home until five o'clock, so now I just finished writing, you include a point!

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