Thrift leads to decline, and luxury can prosper the Ming Dynasty?

Hearing such a point of view, everyone present was stunned.

Frugality was a virtue, in an era when Confucianism was deeply rooted in the marrow.

From all the people to the Son of Heaven, they all advocate thrift and thrift.

For example, Emperor Wen of Han, who was known for his frugality.

The emperor reigned for 23 years, and there was no addition to the chariot and riding clothes.

Repeated edicts were issued prohibiting the county from contributing rare treasures. They are usually dressed in coarse black silk. The mausoleum that Emperor Wen prebuilt for himself also asked for simplicity.

During the reign of Zhao Kuangyin, Gaozu of the Song Dynasty, he was diligent in entrepreneurship, advocating frugality, and taking simplicity. Her daughter, Princess Wei, likes to dress up, and often wears gorgeous clothes with embroidery and emeralds in and out of the palace.

Zhao Kuangyin reprimanded her: "From today onwards, hurry up and hand over the clothes to me, and you are not allowed to wear this kind of clothes in the future, because it is luxurious and dazzling, and it will attract many people to follow suit!" ”

Even today's saint Zhu Yuanzhang took the lead in thrift, practiced it, and educated people to say:

"The so-called thrift, not the first, how to take the lead?"

He saw that a certain official was richly dressed and asked how much it had been spent.

The official replied, "Five hundred." ”

So he reproached and said: 500 yuan is the annual income of a farmer's family, only enough for you to make a piece of clothing, and it is so extravagant that it is simply a waste of the people's property!

Emperors all advocate frugality, believing that resources should not be wasted, let alone the courtiers below?

However, Li Xiao's view is different from everyone else.

Although Zhu Gaoxu, Zhu Gaosui and others in the palace could not be as frugal as the emperor's grandfather.

But I also know this truth.

Zhu Gaoxu asked curiously, "Brother-in-law. Are you saying that our extravagance and waste, extravagant style, can prosper? ”

Hearing this, everyone looked at Li Xiao to see how he answered.

Li Xiao smiled and nodded: "That's right, thrift is better than consumption, only consumption can promote economic development." ”

In Li Xiao's memory, the Ming Dynasty was poor, it was really poor!

It stands to reason that after the Ming Dynasty was still in the Song Dynasty, the economy should be developed.

But throughout the Ming Dynasty, this dynasty was not rich.

In comparison, not to mention the Song Dynasty, even the Tang Dynasty cannot be compared.

During the period of Zhenzong of the Northern Song Dynasty, the annual financial income of the imperial court was 160 million taels of silver.

During the Li Shimin period of the Tang Dynasty, the annual financial income of the imperial court was 34.0975 million taels of silver.

In the current Hongwu period, and even in the later Wanli period, the fiscal revenue is only 20.802 million taels.

History is advancing, but the economy is not advancing, it is simply turning the economy backwards.

Li Xiao also thought of the most frugal emperor in history, the Daoguang Emperor of the Qing Dynasty.

The emperor only ate four dishes in one meal, and his clothes were sewn and mended, and even he and the empress's annual birthday celebrations were saved. However, the Daoguang period was poorer than the Hongwu period.

What does it mean?

The emperor was frugal and did not affect the economy.

Consumption can promote the economy is a truth that ordinary students will understand in the future.

"Economic development?"

is another fresh word, Zhu Gaosui immediately recorded this key point in his heart.

Lu Zhen didn't believe it in his heart, but this was his savior, and he didn't bother to argue with it.

Zhu Gaoxu, who was on the side, became interested and asked, "Brother-in-law, why do you say that luxury can be prosperous?" What's the truth in this? ”

Well.

Li Xiao thought for a while and said with a smile: "To answer this question, I have to ask you a question first." ”

Zhu Gaoxu said: "What's the problem? ”

Li Xiao said: "First of all, we must understand what currency is and what is money!" ”

"What is money?"

Zhu Gaoxu smiled and said: "What is this called a problem, isn't money just silver?" ”

Li Xiao took out a silver ingot, put it on the table, and asked, "Then let me ask you, can you eat this silver?" ”

Zhu Gaoxu shook his head.

Li Xiao asked again: "Is this silver used for anything other than buying things?" ”

Zhu Gaoxu thought for a while, shook his head and said, "No, the silver can only be used to buy things." ”

Li Xiao asked, "Since silver can't be used for food and drink, and it has no other use, can you use it to buy things?" ”

Zhu Gaoxu said as a matter of course: "It has been like this since ancient times, where are there so many why?" ”

As he spoke, Zhu Gaoxu suddenly reacted and frowned slightly: "Oh no, this silver doesn't seem to be so useful, why can you buy things?"

Hearing this, others were also a little puzzled.

"This is money, silver is money, copper coins are money, and their function can only be to measure the value of things."

Li Xiao explained: "In ancient times, there was no currency. Someone hunts, someone fishes, the hunter only eats meat, the fisherman only has fish, if the hunter wants to eat fish, and the fisherman wants to eat meat, what should be done? ”

"Barter." Zhu Gaoxu said.

"That's right." Li Xiao smiled: "The barter is not accurate enough, and it is not convenient, because the value of the items is not equal, how to solve it?" ”

There were no books on the economy in this era, but Zhu Ningyun dabbled slightly, and replied: "During the Shang Dynasty, 'shellfish' was used as money, and this shell was currency, right?" ”

"That's right!"

Li Xiao nodded and said: "This is the source of currency, the earliest currency is 'bei', but bei is too easy to copy." ”

"Gradually, a scarce natural resource was discovered, and because of its rarity, it was better suited as currency: gold and silver."

"This is money, it has no value, and its only value is to be used for circulation, to measure the price of goods."

Everyone was stunned when they heard this.

I don't understand what the mystery is.

And Li Xiao's next sentence made them begin to understand a little.

"Money has no value, its value is used for circulation."

"Then I ask you, once a large amount of money, wealth, is gathered in the hands of a few people, if this person does not spend the money, can the money produce value?"

Hearing this, Zhu Gaoxu patted his thigh and said:

"That's right, our Ming Hui merchants and Jin merchants are very rich, I heard that the wealth accumulated over several generations is as high as tens of millions of taels of silver, which is more abundant than the imperial treasury, these people have so much money, they can't use it up in a few lifetimes, and all these silver coins have no effect."

Zhu Ningyun nodded slowly and said: "In other words, money is like water, flowing up, flowing into rivers, and flowing below, so that the people can become rich, that is, what you said luxury leads to prosperity?" Right? ”

Li Xiao clapped his hands and praised: "Sister Ling'er is really ice and snow smart!" That's it. ”

These days, Li Xiao often speaks amazingly, and Zhu Gaoxu and Zhu Ningyun can slowly keep up with Li Xiao's rhythm.

Lu Zhen on the side was extremely shocked when he heard it, and it turned out that he could still explain it like this. There seems to be some truth.

Li Xiao continued: "According to personal interests, thrift must be a good thing, because rich people will also lose, so it is natural to advocate that children be thrifty and not be too extravagant and wasteful." ”

"But."

"Extravagance is a private sin, a public good!"

"If a private person spends the money, someone will definitely earn the money, which is a good thing!"

"If money is not in circulation, and the rich don't spend money, how can the people below earn the rich people's silver?"

"Let's take an analogy."

Li Xiao pointed to the dishes on the table and said, "This table of dishes cost two hundred taels of silver, of which the fresh ingredients cost fifty taels of silver." Of the fifty taels of silver, the merchant ships of the canal earned twenty taels of silver, the vendors who provided the ingredients earned twenty taels of silver, and the breeders earned ten taels of silver. ”

Li Xiao looked at Lu Zhen and asked, "We spent silver, did everyone make money?" ”

Lu Zhen nodded: "It seems to be true!" ”

Li Xiao said: "Let me ask you, if I am diligent and thrifty, and the cabbage is just a meal of rice, can the people earn this silver?" ”

Lu Zhen gasped and nodded like garlic:

"It's really the truth, money is not circulating, like a pool of stagnant water, but ordinary circulation does not cost much silver. Rich people have so much money that they can't use it up, and they spend extravagantly, so that the people can earn more silver! That's it."

Lu Zhen and Ji Gang looked at each other, obviously made sense by this reason.

"In this way, the people became rich!"

Ji Gang said the following words.

"That's right!"

Li Xiao clapped his hands and said, "Doesn't this make sense?" ”

"Frugality decays, luxury prospers."

"Extravagance is a personal sin, the good of the public!"

"Wonderful, wonderful!"

Lu Zhen got up directly and arched his hand towards Li Xiao and said, "The concept of Xiao Gongzi is really an eye-opener!" No wonder Childe is so wealthy and so proficient in the way of business. ”

"Don't dare to be, it's all your own brainstorming." Li Xiao smiled and waved his hand.

Ji Gang was shocked in his heart, and felt that this matter could be reported to the saint, so he asked again: "Young Master Xiao, do you think that if you let the rich businessmen consume on a large scale, it will definitely make the people rich?" ”

"That's for sure."

Li Xiao said with a smile: "From a micro point of view, someone who is diligent and thrifty, reduces waste, and increases savings can often get rich. It's a personal benefit. ”

"But from a macro perspective, frugality is not good for economic growth."

"Public thrift will only lead to a decline in the total consumption expenditure of society, a decline in the total sales of social goods, a decrease in the scale of production of merchants, a rise in the unemployed, a decline in the income of the people, and a decline in the total consumption expenditure of society. It's a vicious circle! ”

"Only by encouraging consumption can we stimulate production, and only then can the entire economic activity continue and circulate, and Daming will be more prosperous!"

After such an explanation, everyone almost understands the reason.

It's just that such thinking is too advanced.

As plausible as it sounds, there are some doubts.

"After Xiao Gongzi said this, I feel that this meal is worth it."

Lu Zhen laughed, picked up his wine glass and said, "Xiao Gongzi, I would like to give you a glass." ”

Li Xiao picked up his wine glass and saluted, and said in his heart that these two people would be good for him in the future.

"I'll go, my stomach is a little upset, I'll go to the toilet first."

Zhu Gaosui planned to slip away first and record what he had just said, so as not to forget it.

"I'm a little sick to my stomach, everyone eat slowly, and I'll leave for a while."

Ji Gang also stood up suddenly, and the two of them said it almost in unison.

So, in order to disguise their actions.

The two went to the latrine.

Endured the smell and began to copy Li Xiao's economic theory in the latrine.

An hour later.

The big ship rides the wind and waves and is about to reach the deep-water dock in Texas.

"When we arrive, there's Texas ahead."

"Let's take a rest in Texas and set off tomorrow."

The group was full of wine and food, and Li Xiao saw the scene of Texas not far away.

Li Xiao looked at Lu Zhen and said, "I don't know where the two of you got off the boat?" Rest for the night, we will continue to go south tomorrow, do we need to continue to take a ride in the next one? ”

Lu Zhen was flattered, and hurriedly arched his hand and said: "Xiao Gongzi's life-saving grace is unforgettable, how dare you make more requests, Ji Gang and I happen to have official business in Texas." ”

Li Xiao didn't ask why they fell into the water, arched his hand and said, "Then today, we will say goodbye in Texas." ”

Lu Zhen bowed and said, "Don't leave it here." ”

When the boat stopped at the deep-water pier, the group disembarked.

After Li Xiao paid the cost of stopping the ship twenty taels of silver, the group was just about to enter the territory of Texas.

At this time, several officials dressed in official clothes came to collect taxes.

"Please pay the freight tax, you are such a big cargo ship, you need to pay a hundred taels of silver."

One of the fatter officials spoke, and the others blocked the way of Li Xiao and his party.

Li Xiao frowned and explained: "We just docked at zero o'clock and rested for one night, without stopping, and this cargo ship did not transport goods, so I don't believe that we can enter the ship for inspection." ”

The fat official shouted: "There is no need to inspect, whether there is cargo or not, if you enter the territory of Texas, as long as it is a cargo ship, you need to pay freight tax." ”

Zhu Gaoxu was a little displeased when he heard this, and said: "Let your mother's fart, Lao Tzu's ship is not loaded with goods, why should you pay transportation tax, one hundred taels?" Why the fuck aren't you going to grab the money! ”

"Presumptuous!"

As the words fell, the officials drew their swords one after another. "You dare to speak against us and others, I really don't know whether you live or die, bring it back to the yamen!"

Lu Zhen just wanted to say goodbye to everyone and leave, but stopped when he saw this scene.

However, he didn't say anything, but waited and watched.

As for Zhu Gaoxu and Zhu Gaosui, as well as ten guards and soldiers, when they saw that some officials dared to draw their swords against each other, they all pulled out the knives in their hands and looked at each other angrily.

The fat officer at the head saw that this group of people was fierce and not afraid at all, and he was obviously not a master to be messed with, so he waved his hand and signaled his subordinates not to draw their swords first.

Then, he looked at Li Xiao and said: "This is the rule of our Texas government, if you don't want to pay the freight tax, we won't force it, just leave by boat." ”

There are indeed many wharves along the canal, but large cargo ships like Li Xiao can only dock at deep-water wharves.

The deep-water wharf at this next stop is in Linqing, five hundred miles away.

The officials of the Texas capital and county of Texas collected taxes in this way, which was clearly aimed at such large-scale merchant ships.

Li Xiao frowned slightly, looked at Zhu Gaoxu and said, "I really want to remember that this Caoyun tax is not collected by the yamen in various places, it should be collected by the Caoyun yamen under the household, right?" ”

As soon as these words came out, Zhu Gaoxu also suddenly realized, and said angrily: "Okay, you little Texas actually collected the transportation tax on behalf of the household department, you are stealing the tax money of the imperial court, what a big boldness!" ”

The fat official smiled and said disdainfully: "This master, you have bad ears, do we collect the transportation tax?" We're talking about freight tax. ”

"Freight tax?" Zhu Gaoxu was stunned for a moment, and said with horizontal eyebrows: "What kind of freight tax, there is this tax?" ”

The fat clerk said, "This is a Texas tax. ”

Zhu Gaoxu said angrily: "You Texas Mansion are so bold! Dare to set up a name to collect harsh taxes, come on, take it for me! ”

"Yo he! Who do you think you are? The officials did not panic at all, they were covered by the prince.

Seeing that he was about to do it, Li Xiao stopped Zhu Gaoxu and whispered: "Second brother, the strong dragon does not suppress the head snake, forget it, pay to eliminate the disaster." ”

"Lao Tzu can't swallow this breath, and the clown who jumps off the beam dares to run rampant!"

Everyone knows Zhu Gaoxu's temper, if he doesn't cause trouble, forget it, there are still people yelling in front of him, can he bear it?

"Gao Xu, don't be impulsive, listen to your brother-in-law." Zhu Ningyun whispered.

Hearing this, Zhu Gaoxu exhaled, resisted the impulse, and snorted and stopped speaking.

"We pay our taxes, we pay our taxes."

Li Xiao smiled, took out a hundred taels of silver tickets from his body and handed them over.

"Wouldn't it be okay if you did this earlier?"

After receiving the money, the fat official immediately showed a smile and waved his hand, signaling that Li Xiao and the others could leave.

"Don't have credentials?" Li Xiao asked.

"No, let's go, don't delay."

The fat officer said impatiently, and then walked towards another merchant ship.

Helpless, Li Xiao had no choice but to lead everyone towards the county seat.

Seeing today's scene, Li Xiao said in his heart, no wonder the merchants of the Ming Dynasty were difficult to do.

Not to mention all kinds of harsh taxes and miscellaneous taxes, there is also this kind of obstacle to collecting money indiscriminately, without a background behind him, it is impossible for the business to become bigger, and no matter how rich he is, he has to lose money.

"Bad luck!"

Zhu Gaoxu's face was full of unhappiness, he suddenly thought of something, looked at Lu Zhen over there, and beckoned: "What's that, Lu Zhen, aren't you trying to do things according to the judge in Shandong?" Correcting official evil, rape and violence, why don't you let a fart next to you? ”

Lu Zhen walked over helplessly and whispered: "Don't hide it, this official has long noticed that there are some problems in this Texas, and this trip is to investigate some things, but I didn't expect it. I was assassinated last night, but fortunately, I came to the rescue. ”

"What?"

Everyone was stunned.

The water in Texas is really unfathomable, and as soon as someone came to investigate the case, he was assassinated?

is so vicious that he dares to assassinate an official of the imperial court!

"It's so rampant."

Li Xiao was shocked, fortunately he didn't have a conflict with these people just now, and chose to pay to avoid the disaster, otherwise he didn't know how much trouble he had caused.

They came out to travel this time, not to sweep away gangsters and evils, and they didn't bother to care about these things.

"Master Lu, be careful in everything, don't leave it at that."

Li Xiao could only support Lu Zhen psychologically, and then led everyone to separate from Lu Zhen, so as not to provoke him

"Don't leave it at that."

Lu Zhen also gave up his hand helplessly, and walked in another direction with Ji Gang.

"I really don't know if I don't come out, there are still so many corrupt officials in Daming."

Zhu Gaosui couldn't help but sigh with emotion: "This Texas used to be the fief of the tenth uncle, no wonder this is the case. ”

"What's going on?" Zhu Gaoxu asked.

Zhu Gaosui whispered: "This is a secret, don't spread it, Zhu Tan, the tenth uncle of Lu, used to castrate young children in the fief to make alchemy pills, and the emperor's grandfather gave him a punishment."

In the twenty-second year of Hongwu, Zhu Tan poisoned himself by eating Jindan.

Zhu Gaoxu was taken aback: "Really? ”

Zhu Gaosui said: "Absolute fidelity." ”

Zhu Gaoxu was shocked: "Third child, you kid can, you can always find out so many secrets." ”

Zhu Gaosui: "Don't talk nonsense. ”

Li Xiao, who had pointed ears on the side, nodded: "Well, never talk nonsense"

Zhu Gaosui, Zhu Gaoxu: "."

"Okay, okay, let's find an inn to rest today, and then go to the market to buy some items and food, and leave this Texas early tomorrow."

Li Xiao proposed, and then the group walked towards an inn.

Li Xiongzhi, the dog-legged man, immediately entered the inn, dotted up and down, booked the guest room, and then took five guards to the market to purchase supplies.

Li Xiao and the others just rested in the inn hall, drinking some tea and planning to rest.

At this time, a man in a cloth coat walked over and sat down directly.

Li Xiao was a little confused, who is this person?

Seeing the man in cloth, with a slight gesture on his chest, Zhu Gaoxu knew who it was.

whispered in Li Xiao's ear: "Brother-in-law, this is my father's secret agent, I don't return at night, my own people, it is estimated that my father sent us a letter." ”

Sure enough, the man quietly handed Zhu Gaoxu a letter, then turned around and left, without verbal communication throughout the whole process.

It turned out to be Zhu Di's letter, Zhu Di knew that Li Xiao and his party were walking by water, passing through Texas, and specially sent a letter to Zhu Ningyun to visit a senior named Gu Cheng in Texas.

Zhu Di has liked to drill into the barracks since Zhu Yuanzhang got into trouble.

It can be said that Zhu Di's ability to fight, in addition to mainly learning from Xu Da, almost all the founding generals are his predecessors and masters.

And the veteran Gu Chengcheng is one of them.

Moreover, during this time, Yao Guangxiao measured the sky and felt that something big was happening.

deliberately asked Zhu Di to win over the relationship between the court and the court.

So, Zhu Di wrote to Zhu Ningyun and asked him to visit General Gu Cheng on the way to get his feelings.

"Sister, it's a letter from your father."

Zhu Gaoxu opened the envelope and looked at it, and handed it to Zhu Ningyun.

"Oh, it turns out that General Gu's mother is from Texas, and recently my mother has been unwell and has come to Texas to visit relatives, so let me visit Li Xiao and I."

After reading the letter, Zhu Ningyun looked at Li Xiao and said.

Li Xiao nodded and said, "Okay, let's prepare a little bit of a gift and go for a visit." ”

This Gu Cheng and Li Xiao remember it very clearly.

In the Battle of Jingyan, Gu Cheng was defeated and surrendered to Zhu Di.

Later, Zhu Di went to King Ning to borrow troops, leaving Zhu Gaochi and Gu Cheng to guard Beiping.

In the face of the siege of Li Jinglong's 500,000 troops, Beiping miraculously defended.

Everyone in the world says that it is the credit of Zhu Gaochi, the son of the world, but in fact, Li Xiao knows that this Gu success is indispensable.

Gu Cheng is the deputy general of Changxing Hou Geng Bingwen for more than ten years.

Who is Geng Bingwen?

is the only veteran left by Zhu Yuanzhang to Zhu Yunwen.

In the Ming Dynasty, on attack, Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, Lan Yu. and other generals have their own merits.

can be defended, Geng Bingwen is unique and unbeatable!

Zhu Yuanzhang left such a veteran to guard the country for Zhu Yunwen.

And Gu Cheng has followed Geng Bingwen for decades, and he is definitely negligent, because he has learned all the tactics of Geng Bingwen to defend the city.

If Beiping City can be defended, more than half of the credit must be due to Gu Cheng.

If Beiping City is lost, this Zhu Di will definitely be defeated.

Such a great hero Li Xiao will inevitably be treated well.

"Let's go, let's go pick up a gift and visit."

Meanwhile.

In Gu Cheng's mother's mansion, Gu Cheng was kneeling in front of his mother's bed and crying.

The old woman on the bed, like a candle before the wind, will die at any moment.

"Mother, the child is not filial, and he has not honored you well for many years."

"You old man. You have to hold on. ”

"Someone, someone, go and ask for a doctor, ask for the best doctor!"

(End of chapter)