amaotonovel Chapter 459 Securities OR Currency
Chapter 459 Securities OR Currency
Chapter 459 Securities OR Currency
Xiangguo Temple.
"Master Lu, how is the situation?"
Seeing that Lu Bin came in, all the dignitaries in the hall immediately looked at him nervously.
"Amitabha."
Lu Bin clasped his hands together, performed the Buddha's ceremony, and then said: "The little monk made some inquiries outside, and learned that some time ago, a group of merchants bought all the salt from those private salt dealers at a price of seventeen or eight yuan per catty. Now, the whereabouts of the salt are unknown, if there are no accidents..."
"Wang Jiefu must have done this."
Pang Minsun gritted his teeth and said, "I really didn't expect that the dignified prime minister would secretly buy private salt in the name of the imperial court."
This really wronged Wang Anshi during the meeting. The emperor bought it, not Wang Anshi.
Xu Ji frowned and said: "This is really bad. Now all the salt in Kaifeng Prefecture is in the hands of the imperial court. Even if we buy those salt notes and exchange them for salt, it may not help."
These people are all as smart as monkeys. After the salt money came out, their first reaction was to run against the court, because they knew that there was a shortage of official salt, which was not enough to meet the needs of the entire Kaifeng government.
Moreover, salt banknotes are not very expensive at present. The price in the secondary market is within [-] cents. Even if they buy them all and exchange them for salt, they will not lose money.
The key is private salt.
If they buy the private salt again, all the salt will flow into their hands while they are running on the court.
So they hurried to find those private salt.
"exactly."
Lu Bin nodded, and sighed again: "Now all the salt is in the hands of the court, and the decrees are promulgated by the court. At the same time, there are enough coins and grains in the hands of the court. This situation is not optimistic."
They have food and currency in their hands, but they don't have salt. If they can't influence the court's decision-making in terms of policy, they can't control the situation at all.
Fu Chengshou sighed: "Now they are hurting people with their own base and selling salt notes at such a low price. Even if we want to object, there is no reason!"
If the imperial court raises the price of salt, they can object, but they can't do anything about this reverse operation.
Lu Bin said: "Nowadays everyone is exchanging coins for salt bills. There are already a lot of coins in this market. Our strategy has failed. Fortunately, we haven't lost much. Why don't we stop here."
"no!"
Xu Ji frowned and said, "If we make a concession on this, the imperial court will definitely impose higher taxes on us."
Pang Minsun immediately asked, "Does Judge Xu have any countermeasures?"
Xu Ji said: "We can pay for salt notes."
Fu Chengshou frowned and said, "The imperial court has enough salt, so buying salt banknotes is meaningless."
Xu Ji said: "But the imperial court stipulates that only salt money can be used to buy salt. As long as the salt money is in our hands, the common people will have no salt money to buy salt. In this way, this will inevitably cause public resentment."
Lu Bin said: "But if we do this, there will be a lot of money in the market, which will inevitably make the price of coins fall further, which will make us lose more, and the court can sell salt money again."
Xu Ji said with a smile: "If there are too many salt bills for sale, there will not be enough salt to exchange them. Besides, we don't need to spend much money, don't you guys find out?
Recently, fewer and fewer people go to the salt shop to exchange salt. This is the reason. The imperial court stipulates that only salt bills are allowed to buy salt, but salt bills cannot be distributed to every commoner. The price of this salt bill will inevitably increase. If it rises, everyone keeps it in their hands and plays by ear. We only need to buy a part of the salt bill, so that even a single salt bill cannot be seen in the market. "
Everyone looked at each other.
Fu Chengshou said: "We have come to this point, then we can only continue, let's try Judge Xu's idea. Anyway, the current price of salt bills is still lower than the previous salt price. It is really not good, we can still buy it by then." Exchange salt bills for salt."
So far, the two sides are not fighting for the petty profits in front of them, but for power.
What power?
That is, can you tax us.
The weapons of both sides are actually the common people. On the one hand, they want to arouse public grievances, and on the other hand, they want to appease the hearts of the people.
Xu Ji also saw it very thoroughly. There is a big problem with this regulation of the imperial court. The salt banknotes are not directly linked to the copper coins.
Most of them are directly linked to salt. A dime of salt money can be exchanged for a catty of salt, but the imperial court pays the royal police and the imperial army with a salary of 25 renminbi.
It does not mean that everyone can exchange directly with coins.
As a result, as soon as it was shot at that time, it immediately became thirty cents, which also shows that it is not linked to coins.
And the common people have to exchange salt banknotes to be able to buy salt. They cannot control the price of salt, but they can control the price of salt banknotes.
As long as the price of salt banknotes is increased, and the people cannot exchange for salt, this policy will fail.
Anyway, they now hold a lot of coins in their hands, so they began to use coins to snap up salt notes in the market.
It just so happened that Sinong Temple also implemented the liquidation method in a low-key manner, and began to purchase grain and some goods with lower prices on a large scale.
At present, the price of coins is still high, and the price of goods is relatively cheap.
Both sides shot at the same time, and the coins flooded into the market like a torrent.
In fact, there is a lack of currency in the market, but there are too many problems all of a sudden, double attack, looking around, it seems that it is all coins.
This directly caused the price of coins to start to fall, and the price of goods to start to rise. In fact, it cannot be said to be an increase, but it just returned to the previous level, and it did not mean that there was a substantial increase.
The reason is that the coins are put into the salt notes.
Then the price of salt bills is very scary, and it directly rises to sixty Wen.
This drove the royal police crazy, and if they had to wait before taking action, wouldn't it be crazy to make money?
They deducted 25 Wen from their wages, and sold it at 35 Wen. If they wait until now, they will earn [-] Wen for a piece of salt money.
The intestines are all green with regret.
A small boat goes down the river from west to east along Bianhe Street.
There was a young man standing on the boat. It was Zhang Fei. Looking at the prosperous scene of Bianhe Street, he was slightly distracted, and then turned his head to look at Li Bao beside him, "What's the price of salt bills now?"
Li Bao said: "It has stabilized at sixty Wen."
Zhang Fei laughed and said, "Then let's sell the salt money in the hands of the officials at the price of 58 Wen."
Li Bao asked curiously, "Why don't you sell it for sixty Wen?"
Zhang Fei said: "There is not much time left for us, so we have to sell it quickly, and we can earn forty Wen for a catty of salt, what else do you want?"
All the money from Sinong Temple was used to buy official salt, and the private salt was paid by the government itself, because the Sansi couldn't afford the money. At that time, the emperor bought the private salt at the price of [-] Wen. The internal treasury is the internal treasury, and the central government is the central finance.
The government sold the private salt to the imperial court and turned it into official salt, but the Si Nong Temple paid salt bills, and the Si Nong Temple had no money to buy the private salt.
This part of the salt money is still in the hands of the emperor.
At that time Zhang Fei was laughing and said, if the emperor is not willing to pay the money, I can do it too, playing financial warfare, and allowing this kind of black-box operation.
The emperor began to secretly sell the salt money in his hands in various counties.
Anyway, there is a silly bi to take over.
Xiangguo Temple.
"Abbot, we have to stop quickly."
Lu Bin anxiously persuaded the abbot Huiming: "There are a lot of new money in the market today. This may be a bottomless pit."
Huiming asked, "How can there be so much salt when the court issues so many salt bills?"
Lu Bin sighed: "The problem today is that we don't know how much salt the court has in hand, and we don't know how much salt money the court has issued. It's like a blind man fighting a master, how can we win?" .”
Huiming frowned and said, "But they..."
Lu Bin immediately said: "They are them, we are us, this must be a trap, we have to stop quickly, besides, the price of this money is already high enough."
"Amitabha."
Huiming sighed and said, "Okay, you can figure it out yourself."
"Yes."
Zhang family!
"Oh! This house is really nice!"
Sima Guang, who came back to visit the new house for the first time, looked around, nodded frequently, then turned his head to look at Zhang Fei, and said with a smile: "Many officials have been officials for decades, and they can't afford this house, and you have only been in the capital for two years. In three years, you have bought such a large property. Everyone only sees your ability to fight lawsuits, but ignores your ability to make money, no wonder they have such a catastrophe!"
Zhang Fei smiled slightly and said, "Scholar Sima seems to have something to say!"
While talking, the two came to the pavilion in the garden and sat down.
Qingmei immediately offered refreshments to them.
Sima Guang nodded his head slightly to express his gratitude. This old man, like Fu Bi, was able to be polite with his servants. Wen Yanbo was far behind them in this regard.
After Qingmei went down, Sima Guang glanced at Zhang Fei, and said with a half-smile: "The idea of the salt money is probably your kid's idea."
Zhang Fei asked in surprise, "Why is Bachelor Sima so determined?"
Sima Guang said: "Because if it is Wang Jiefu's idea, I must be able to figure out what his purpose is."
Zhang Fei chuckled, "I'm afraid this can't be used as evidence in court!"
Sima Guang looked around, "Is this the court?"
"That's not it."
Zhang Fei shook his head, then nodded and admitted: "Yes, this is my idea."
Sima Guang asked: "Do you also agree that the imperial court issues banknotes?"
Zhang Fei said: "I absolutely disagree."
Sima Guang was stunned for a moment, and said, "Really?"
"How dare Zhang San deceive Bachelor Sima."
Zhang Fei nodded, "Issuing banknotes is drinking poison to quench thirst. There is no doubt that the imperial court will issue them indiscriminately. This is tantamount to plundering the wealth of the people, and it will definitely make people's lives miserable."
Sima Guang was dumbfounded.
This. Isn't this my line?
He originally wanted to use these words to teach Zhang Fei a lesson.
result.
"Since that's the case, why did you come up with this idea?" Sima Guang asked curiously again.
Zhang Fei smiled wryly and said: "It's not all forced by them. If they succeed, the exemption tax will be gone. Moreover, they have enough coins and food in their hands. If they go head-to-head with them on these two points, even if they win, It must be a tragic victory, then the imperial court must find a way to collect money in order to fill the finances, which will definitely increase the burden on the people."
Sima Guang stroked his beard, nodded and said, "That makes sense!"
He also understood this point, so it was not easy for him to object to Wang Anshi's proposal to issue more coins, and he said with a smile: "Since you understand the righteousness, you will definitely not use this salt money to plunder the wealth of the people."
Zhang Fei laughed and said, "Actually, the salt bills are not banknotes, but pure salt."
Sima Guang was surprised: "Really?"
Zhang Fei asked with a smile: "How many copper coins does Bachelor Sima think this dime of salt money is worth?"
Sima Guang said: "Currently, it's worth sixty Wen outside."
Zhang Fei said: "But in fact, the salt bill was only worth 25 Wen at the beginning. It can be seen that there is no definite price for the salt bill and the copper coin, but a dime of salt bill can be exchanged for a catty of salt. This salt bill is just like a house. It can be used to store wealth.”
Sima Guang listened thoughtfully, his reaction in this respect was far inferior to Wang Anshi's.
After a while, Zhang Fei saw that Sima Guang nodded his head lightly, as if he had figured it out, so he said again: "But it's only one step away from the coin."
"How do you say that?" Sima Guang asked hastily.
Zhang Fei said: "Currently, no one is exchanging salt bills for salt. Soon, people will find that they can't buy a single grain of salt, which will inevitably cause public resentment.
At that time, the imperial court has two choices. First, raise some salt prices, and then directly price the salt banknotes at 25 coins, because the imperial court issued this amount at that time, and you will use it for speculation. If it comes, the salt notes will become paper money.
Second, continue to maintain that a dime of salt bill is equal to a catty of salt, while raising the price of salt, opening up coins to buy salt, and stipulating that salt bills can be exchanged for the same amount of salt at any time.Salt money will become a jar to store wealth. "
In fact, he is far more worried about banknotes than Sima Guang. After all, he knows the consequences of issuing banknotes, and there will definitely be consequences, so there is no need to doubt it.
But money is indeed in short supply, and the opponent is pressing harder and harder. The only card in the court's hand is salt.
He finally chose a compromise method, that is, the securitization of salt banknotes, which still keeps a certain distance from the currency, but because the price he set is very low, it is very simple to cross this hurdle and directly monetize.
Although the imperial court did not set a clear price, but what you sell is 25 Wen, if you want to fry it to [-] Wen, then who is to blame, now everyone can’t buy salt, either let the coins buy salt again, or use salt banknotes Monetization.
Sima Guang asked, "Then what did you and Wang Jiefu say?"
Zhang Fei said: "I'm telling the truth. It will depend on the situation. If they still want to fight to the end, they can directly price it at 25 yuan and sell it to everyone. In that case, it means that they are selling it at 25 yuan. I bought [-] Wen notes."
Sima Guang sucked in a breath of air, this move was really a bit ruthless.
Zhang Fei continued: "But I'm more suggesting that Xueshi Wang choose the second option. If they do this, although they will lose a little less money, they can use salt money to check and balance them. If they dare to create a money shortage crisis again Threatening the imperial court, the imperial court can use salt money to counter them."
Sima Guang asked, "Did Wang Jiefu agree?"
Zhang Fei said: "Xueshi Wang really wants to issue banknotes, but even if he chooses the second option, salt banknotes still have the purpose of banknotes, which can be exchanged, but the price has to be negotiated by both parties.
If the price of salt bills is fixed, it will be difficult to use this to check and balance them. Salt bills are equal to coins, so if there is a food crisis, salt bills will definitely not be as good as coins. Once the private salt does not recognize the salt money, this will also cause big problems. "
Sima Guang nodded, and said again: "But based on what I know about Wang Jiefu, even if he chooses the second option, he will still continue to issue salt notes."
Zhang Fei said: "I think so too. Therefore, Bachelor Sima must find a way to control the production of salt banknotes in his hands. The Department of Regulations of the Second Mansion can only propose it, but it must be reviewed by Bachelor Sima."
Sima Guang said, "I'm afraid it will be difficult."
Zhang Fei asked with a smile: "Does Bachelor Sima know how many salt notes have been issued so far?"
Sima Guang was taken aback, shook his head and said, "I don't know."
Zhang Fei said: "Now those people have suffered from this. They don't know how much salt money the court has issued. When Bachelor Sima mentions this, the ministers will definitely support Bachelor Sima."
Sima Guang was surprised: "You left this for me on purpose?"
Zhang Fei nodded and said: "This is actually a rogue method. The imperial court uses its absolute control over the salt to operate secretly to make profits. There are no rules at all. It can only be used to deal with some rogues."
This kind of tactic is actually robbery. Whoever has played with the imperial court before, it is all a secret operation. At present, the imperial court does not have any system to regulate these behaviors, and there is no way to supervise them. It still needs to be perfected.
The current system is also difficult to be simple. For the time being, we can only rely on the relationship between Wang Anshi and Sima Guang to supervise the salt money.
Sima Guang just smiled slightly: "These words are also specially reserved for me."
Zhang Fei laughed a few times, and said again: "In addition, we must manage the salt administration well. If there is a problem with the salt administration, there will be problems with the salt banknotes, and a series of problems will also be caused at that time. To make good use of the salt banknotes, we must first To improve the salt administration."
Since salt banknotes are directly linked to salt, if the salt administration is not improved, there will definitely be problems.
Sima Guang sighed: "This salt policy has been changed again and again, but it has always treated the symptoms rather than the root cause, and the main reason is the corruption of officials. Why is the price of official salt always high, and the price of private salt is so high?" The reason for flooding everywhere is that the intermediate loss is huge."
Speaking of this, he looked at Zhang Fei, "That's why I suggested you go to the Northwest to build a public security law. If you don't rectify the administration of officials, it is impossible to improve the salt administration."
In fact, it can be seen from the salt administration that the problem of the Song Dynasty has never been a policy issue, but an official issue. No matter how you change it, you will return to the original point.
We still have to start from the root. Wang Anshi, Fan Xiang, and Xue Xiang are all geniuses in financial management. The reason why they can't improve their finances lies in the administration of officials.
Zhang Fei showed a look of hesitation, and said: "It's not that I don't want to go, but I have no background and no authority. What can I do if I go, and I have also asked, Fan Xiang, the transfer envoy of Shaanxi He went to the local government to manage the salt administration, and his adjutant was directly killed by the bandits."
Sima Guang nodded and said: "There is such a thing. In the end, Bao Xianggong went to the local area to make Fan Xiang's policy continue. But if you are willing to go, I will find a way to protect you, and I will find a way to help you establish Wei, I won’t let you go there with bare hands.”
Zhang Fei said: "If you can protect me well, I can give it a try."
Sima Guang excitedly said: "Really?"
Zhang Fei nodded.
Feel sorry!It was late, and I woke up today a little top-heavy. I thought that neither the new crown nor the influenza A virus would hurt me at all. I never thought that I had a little rain and a little wind on the mountain yesterday, and I would catch a cold when I came back.
(End of this chapter)