Although food is a living life, and gold and silver treasures cannot be eaten or drunk, the cost of buying food is also something that Meng Jiucheng cannot support for a long time.

Therefore, luring grain merchants with heavy profits is only temporary. He also has to have a way to make money in order to break even.

Moreover, if Meng Jiucheng wanted to rejuvenate the king and try to dominate, he would not only be limited to purchasing grain from the south, but also strategic materials such as copper, iron, and cotton, but also recruit shipbuilders from the southeast. Without funding, these can only be imaginary plans, and there is no possibility of realization.

And for now, the base area has been established, and the situation of confrontation with the Jin army is basically formed, but the territory is bigger, and there are more clues, Meng Jiucheng must take care of all aspects, materials, equipment, grain and grass, money, and people's hearts, which often makes him feel powerless.

Resettle displaced people, resume the reconstruction of newly occupied areas, maintain the army's money and food, expand military production, and support the operation of various government departments...... It costs money everywhere, and Meng Jiucheng is really painstaking. But this kind of suffering and tiredness is not something that ordinary people can know, and only government officials, such as Zhu Ming, understand it best.

"It is really not easy for General Meng to maintain the current situation, and he has already done his best to do his best." At this time, Zhu Ming, after the banquet for the grain merchants, expressed his emotion to the officials under him.

Whether they were elders or not, Zhu Ming and others showed respect for Meng Jiucheng, especially in front of outsiders, and worked hard to maintain and establish his authority.

Until now, middle- and low-level officials still have doubts about the future belonging of the Red Turban Army, or whether it can withstand external threats. Of course, they don't know exactly what Meng Jiucheng thinks, and they prefer which side is stronger and which side is the best.

"That's true. General Meng conquered the east and the west, conquered this place, and kept the peace, which is really admirable. "At the beginning, Hu Jiaofang, as the earliest civil official to surrender to Shun, was already the magistrate of Rizhao County, and when he got the benefits, he was naturally grateful to Meng Jiucheng, and he didn't dare to show his doubts even if he had doubts.

Several more officials chimed in, seemingly loyal. But Zhu Ming knows that after a long time, he will see the hearts of the people, and he will know the loyal ministers, and he will naturally not see anything when the wind and water are smooth, and the real test is the time of crisis. But he also hoped that such a test would not come.

"The issuance of the third issue of grain stamps and the recovery of gold, silver, and copper coins must be stepped up." Zhu Ming no longer said what happened just now, and instead explained the problem of work, "The people take food as the sky, and food is the most important thing now, which can be worth gold and silver, and the issuance of food stamps is also the least resistant." By the end of this year, grain stamps will become the only currency in circulation in our two states and counties, and this is a goal that must be accomplished. ”

The so-called grain stamps are similar to the Jiaozi or Huizi of the Song Dynasty, and in layman's terms, they are paper money. It's just that grain stamps are not exchanged for gold, silver, and copper coins, but are linked to grain, and grain is the standard. At present, we are in a period of food shortage, and it is the time when the resistance is least to use grain as hard currency and as a reserve.

This was the most important economic move carried out by Meng Jiucheng, recovering gold, silver and copper coins from the hands of the people, and gradually turning the circulating currency in the base area into paper money such as grain stamps.

For example, at present, the price of one pound of grain is one yuan, and you can exchange one yuan of grain stamps for one pound of grain in the official warehouse, or you can use food stamps to pay taxes and buy goods in the market. It's just that the grain stamps want to be exchanged for grain from the official warehouse, and each issue has a one-month deferred period.

In other words, the government borrowed a month's interest-free grain, and what was issued to the people was only food stamps, which were future banknotes. Although it is said to take advantage of the people, as long as it is proved to the people that the food stamps are not waste paper, and the payment is guaranteed at the expiration date, the credibility will gradually be established.

Meng Jiucheng's trick was very clever, and he also adopted the mildest means of exploitation.

You must know that the Southern Song Dynasty also issued huizi, and stipulated that "huizi" was common with copper coins. However, the printing volume of "Huizi" has gradually increased, and depreciation is naturally an economic law. Moreover, the difficulties of the state's finances caused the Southern Song Dynasty monarchs and ministers to soon destroy the boundaries and quotas of the Huizi that they had formulated, and the vicious expansion of the Huizi made it impossible to create new and replace the old, and it was naturally difficult to maintain the monetary function.

Therefore, Meng Jiucheng knew that the issuance of paper money was one of the important sources of finance, at least a considerable first pot of gold, but he was still very careful to control the issuance of money to maintain the value of the currency, that is, the grain can be fully exchanged as the first guarantee. When the credibility of the food stamps is established and the people have confidence in the food stamps, there will naturally be no major problems in the over-distribution.

Zhu Ming admired and agreed with this move, and saw the benefits of curbing the outflow of gold, silver, and copper coins, and trying to bring them into the government; Alleviate the government's financial constraints, even if it is only for a month, can take a breath......

"The subordinates will do their best." Hu Ledger is again a positive statement.

An official hesitated, but finally asked: "My lord, my subordinates heard that the salaries of officials will be replaced by food stamps in the future, I don't know if it is true?" ”

Zhu Ming pondered for a moment and said, "That's true." But if the food stamps are paid in full, what do you have to worry about? As for the moratorium period, it will either be abolished or not set up as an official's salary, so there will be no problem at all. ”

"My lord's explanation, the lower officials will be relieved." The officials breathed a sigh of relief, hurriedly followed Hu Zhixian's example, and made a guarantee.

At this time, it was already night, and Zhu Ming discussed with the officials before they each said goodbye and dispersed.

In Lanshan Buddha Hand Bay, in the pavilion that has not yet been fully built, businessman Liu You stood in front of the window, looking at the sky, and was already drunk.

In the sky, the moon, hidden by gray-white clouds, was protruding and encircling, revealing a bright jade face. As if defeated, the clouds dissipated powerlessly, handing over the vast blue sky to the moon, allowing it to spread the light and smile of victory towards the earth.

Liu You is a businessman from Chuzhou and is known as a hero. At that time, this was not due to how high his martial arts were, but because of his bold nature and courage.

At the beginning of this year, Liu You went to Dengzhou, and was not only courteous to Yang An'er, but also appointed as an officer. At this point, Yang An'er still has some vision, and treats the Song people with courtesy. But whether it is for food and materials, or whether it really has the heart to vote for Song, it is difficult to judge.

After Liu You went back, he wanted to come again, but at that time, the blockade of Huaishui had not been lifted, and it was not smooth to enter the sea from Huaishui. and there was something in his family, so he delayed it.

When the blockade was lifted, Liu You received two more news from the southbound refugees, Yang An'er was besieged by the Jin army in Laizhou, and the Red Turban Army bought grain at ten times the price in Foshou Bay, Lanshan.

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