Yingtianfu is also an important commercial town, there are many money shops, the most famous three money shops are Jucai money shop, Xinyi money shop and Jinqiao money shop, all of which are the top ten money shops in Beijing, and the shortest time Jinqiao money shop has entered Yingtianfu for more than ten years.

The Zhu's money shop did not set foot in Yingtianfu, until three months ago after Fan Ning became the prefect of Yingtianfu, he began to enter Yingtianfu strongly, and opened five money shops in Songcheng County in one go, and the money shop developed very rapidly, and in just three months, it rose to become the fourth largest money shop in Yingtianfu.

Ten days later, Fan Ning accompanied Zhao Zhongzhen to inspect the main store of Zhu's money shop Yingtianfu, which is located opposite the Yingtianfu Ya, and then dozens of steps to the south is the tile of the Northeast Outer Street, which is very prosperous and lively.

When Fan Ning and Zhao Zhongzhen arrived at the money shop, Chief Steward Liu had been waiting at the gate for a long time, and Zhao Zhongzhen smiled with some surprise: "Why is the Grand Steward here?" ”

Steward Liu said with a smile: "The success or failure of the change in the relationship between the military and the military is successful, I must be here to suppress the formation!" ”

"Well said."

Zhao Zhongzhen praised: "Tomorrow is the first military distribution, I don't know how the money shop is prepared?" ”

"It's ready, welcome Your Highness to check it out!"

"I can't talk about inspection, I'm here to learn and learn."

Fan Ning gave Chief Steward Liu a look, and Grand Steward Liu waved his hand, "Your Highness, please!" ”

Fan Ning accompanied Zhao Zhongzhen into the money shop, Yingtianfu money shop was originally a quality warehouse, that is, a pawnshop, behind the construction of a very strong bluestone warehouse, copper coins are placed in the warehouse, the warehouse is placed in the gold, silver and other valuables, the middle courtyard is the account room and the hall, is the place where the money shop office, in front of the store, the store is very large, covers an area of two acres, divided into ten counters, each counter sits in front of a man who collects money.

There is no money in the store, and there is a special person responsible for picking up and dropping off the money from the warehouse, and the chief steward Liu invited Zhao Zhongzhen into the store, and there are six iron frames in a row on a large table against the wall of the store, and there are six signs hanging on the frame, corresponding to the six barracks of the box army, and each iron frame is placed with five or six books, of which five iron frames are locked with locks, and only the frame marked with Ying Tianfu is open.

"How come there are five other state books here?" Zhao Zhongzhen asked puzzled.

Chief Steward Liu smiled slightly: "This is not only the main store of Yingtianfu, but also the main store of Jingdong Road, and the soldiers of other military camps on Jingdong Road can withdraw money on the same day, and at the same time can come to Yingtianfu to withdraw money, of course, ordinary guests are the same, they can withdraw money across states." ”

"There's a problem here."

Zhao Zhongzhen thought for a while and said: "For example, Zhang San's account is in Zhu's money shop in Xuzhou, he took money from Xuzhou money shop, and then rode a fast horse to Yingtianfu head office to withdraw money, at this time he still has no money in Zhu's money shop, but how do you know?" ”

Liu Da shopkeeper smiled: "In fact, the method of each money shop is the same, there are two situations, one is that Zhang San told the Xuzhou money shop in advance, he wants to withdraw money in Yingtianfu, and then Xuzhou money shop opened a cross-state money book, which has the balance of his deposit, how much money is going to be withdrawn this time, and then Zhang San can come to Yingtianfu head office to withdraw money with this money book, money card and password.

And the other situation is that Zhang San did not tell the Xuzhou money shop, so he came directly to Ying Tianfu, he naturally did not have a cross-state money book, in this case, he must wait for two days, we will send a pigeon letter to Xuzhou money shop to confirm, confirm that the money is correct. ”

"The money shops below are not usually connected with the head office?"

"There is a connection, the following stores have to report to the head office every ten days, and report the details of each customer's savings and loans."

"Do you want to report to the main store in the capital?" Zhao Zhongzhen asked.

"If you borrow 1,000 yuan and save 3,000 yuan, we will call it a big customer, and a big customer must report to the head office in Beijing."

At this time, a guy brought over a thick stack of account books and put them on the table, and Steward Liu said with a smile: "The account books of the five thousand carriages of Ying Tianfu are all here, one account and one account page, each with two hundred accounts, a total of twenty-six books, and a single one for the generals above the charge." ”

Chief Steward Liu pointed to a large row of cabinets behind him and said: "In addition to the account books, there is also a personal card, one for each person, after using it up during the day, if you want to register the account at night, you must keep the account card consistent." ”

Zhao Zhongzhen picked up the general's account book, he opened it casually, the first page was the commander Li Han, with his account number on it, and the first line of the account book recorded the first day of the eighth month, with 50 military salaries and 50 balances.

Zhao Zhongzhen was stunned, "Isn't tomorrow the day to send the army?" ”

Fanning explained with a smile: "The money was released to the money shop by the pacification envoy five days in advance, and tomorrow is the soldier's payment day, and many soldiers will come to the money shop early in the morning to withdraw money, and it must be credited in advance." ”

"I see!"

Zhao Zhongzhen smiled happily: "Then let's come over tomorrow to see the excitement!" ”

In the past, soldiers could not receive money until the afternoon, and then went into the city to eat and drink in the evening, but after changing to a money shop, many soldiers ran into the city early in the morning.

Zhu's money shop also opened at dawn, and soon, there was a long queue in front of the main store of Zhu's money shop in Yingtianfu, ten counters were lined up with long queues, each soldier held a bronze medal in his hand, and his face was very excited.

The guys were sweating profusely, they took the bronze medal and immediately ran to the cabinet to look for the card, and when they found the card, they came back and asked, "How much did you get?" ”

"How much money do I have?"

"Five-run money!"

The soldier clenched his fist excitedly, he had to be deducted a few hundred wen before, but this time he was not deducted money, he hurriedly said: "I will take two five hundred yuan!" ”

"You can only take an integer, either two or three dollars."

"Then let's make two dollars!"

"How many passwords?"

The soldier looked to the sides and back vigilantly, took out an envelope from his bosom, took out a piece of paper from it and handed it in, the man glanced at the password paper, and returned the password paper to him, the password was issued to the soldier when the money shop guy went to the barracks to deliver the bronze medal, and each soldier would get a bronze medal and a piece of paper with the password to believe.

The man took out two of the usual money and handed them to the soldier, the soldier took the money and turned around and squeezed it out, and the man shouted, "Next!" ”

Today, because there are too many people, you can only withdraw money, and the speed is very fast, and the queue is rapidly shortening.

Fan Ning and Zhao Zhongzhen were standing across the street, watching the soldiers go in and out, Zhao Zhongzhen stopped a soldier and asked, "How do you feel about withdrawing money from the money shop?" ”

The soldier nodded and said: "I was very worried yesterday, but today I got the money, I was relieved at once, I felt very convenient, and it was the first time I got the full amount of military salaries, I was very excited." ”

"So what do you feel inconvenient or dissatisfied with?"

The soldier thought for a while and said: "The only inconvenience is that you can't take out change, I want to take two and five hundred yuan, but the money shop can only take it according to the money, either two or three yuan, and the five hundred yuan can't be withdrawn." ”

"Why is that?" Zhao Zhongzhen asked Fan Ning strangely.

"His Royal Highness Qiqi, the main problem is the difference between copper coins and Jiaozi, the Jiaozi of the consistent money can only be exchanged for nine hundred and fifty copper coins in the money shop, and the imperial court has always used Jiaozi, if this soldier wants to take two five hundred yuan, then he can only get two consistent Jiaozi and four hundred and seventy-five Wen money in the end, and it is very time-consuming, in order not to delay the soldiers behind to withdraw the money, so today can only take the whole money, he can exchange it when eating and drinking, the difference has been included in the profit of the shop, all money shops are like this, it is recommended that Jiaozi take the whole money, do not take scattered copper coins. ”

"I see!"

Zhao Zhongzhen nodded and asked, "Then when will Jiaozi be able to exchange the full amount of copper coins?" ”

"This requires the imperial court to have a huge amount of silver and gold reserves, and Jiaozi must also have a long-term credit that does not depreciate, in order to gradually win the trust of the people, and now there is no way, if it is exchanged according to one to one, there will be no Jiaozi outside, and everyone will go to the money shop to exchange copper coins, which will take time to precipitate."

The two left the money shop, urging the horses to slow down, Zhao Zhongzhen said: "I am very concerned about the mentality of the generals now, will I be dissatisfied?" ”

Fan Ning smiled faintly: "Dissatisfaction is inevitable, after all, the interests have been eroded, I estimate that the losses in the east will be made up from the west?" ”

"What do you mean?"

"It's very simple, ask for tea, command the extortion team, the team is blackmailing the boss, the boss blackmails the captain or the soldier, and in the end the wool comes out of the sheep."

Zhao Zhongzhen was stunned for a moment, "What's the point of using money to make money?" ”

"Of course it makes sense, you can give it to your boss or ignore it, unless you want to be promoted, there is no way to get you from above, but you are forced to deduct the military salary, whether you want to or not, you have to deduct so much money."

"But will you wear small shoes for soldiers who refuse to be filial?"

Fanning laughed, "It's not like this, after all, most soldiers don't want to be filial, it can only be said that honoring the boss will have some benefits, but if you don't respect your boss, you can't get the benefits, the law doesn't blame the public, wearing small shoes won't do, this kind of filial piety involves human favors, and it's hard to avoid!" ”

"What about the empty food? Will there be a resurgence? ”

Fanning nodded, "Not in the short term, but it will be difficult to say in the future, unless the whole army advances together, with strict military laws to restrict, there is a vacancy in the soldiers, and it must be reported within a month, otherwise it will be seriously warned, if it is not reported within three months, the military officials and commanders will be dismissed from the military, and if they do not report within half a year, they will be expelled from the military and sent to prison, and if they do not report for more than half a year, there will be no forgiveness for killing, not only that, but also regularly monitor and count the soldiers, so that the generals dare not eat empty money from the system." ”