However, a question appeared in Han Du's mind. Why are Lao Zhu and his son so stingy?
"Your Highness, I have a question and I don't know whether I should ask it or not?"
"you say."
"The emperor is rich all over the world, and His Highness is also the crown prince of the Ming Dynasty. Why..."
Han Du was so embarrassed by the two people's stinginess that he was too embarrassed to continue talking.
Although Han Du didn't say it, Zhu Biao said it for him straightforwardly, "You want to say that it's only three thousand guan. Why can't my father come up with a penny? When I get to this palace, I just give it to you." Half of you?"
"This," Han Du laughed a few times and denied, "How dare I think so? I don't mean this..."
If you don't mean that, what do you mean? It's just that you don't dare to say it clearly.
Zhu Biao didn't care whether Han Du was falsely denying it. He looked up at the sky outside the palace and sighed: "My father is well aware of the suffering of the people and is unwilling to increase the burden on the people unless it is absolutely necessary. Therefore, the court has always The taxes of the Northern Yuan Dynasty are not very large. If they don't conquer the Northern Yuan Dynasty, it will be better, just enough. But the Northern Yuan Dynasty has such a close enemy, how can the imperial court sit back and watch them get a chance to breathe? In fact, all these years have been relying on distribution The treasure money comes to support the military needs of the Northern Expedition."
"Originally, I and my father thought that this was a perfect method, and there would be no problem if we continue to issue it like this for a long time. But since you pointed out that issuing treasure banknotes is consuming the national fortune of the Ming Dynasty, I can tell you.
Zhu Biao got close to Han Du and whispered in his ear: "My father was frightened by you and never dared to continue to issue treasure money indiscriminately."
Lao Zhu was frightened?
How could Lao Zhu, who "killed millions of soldiers in the south of the Yangtze River, and the sword on his waist was still bloody", be frightened?
How can I, the initiator of this, get away with it?
Being hated by Lao Zhu is something more terrifying than the 'Sword of Damocles' above his head, and his head may fall to the ground at any time.
Han Du's tone was dry and he defended: "Your Highness, I'm just discussing the matter as it is, without any selfish motives."
"I know," Zhu Biao nodded, "Father also knows, so Father doesn't mean to blame you. On the contrary, he admires you very much and thinks you have extraordinary talents. The reason why I gave you the Baobao Prosecution Office , I just want you, a person who is proficient in treasure money, to be what you say you are."
"I dare not risk my life." Han Du said seriously.
In this era, he was still sure of establishing a paper currency system that was beneficial to the Ming Dynasty.
But it's one thing to be sure, but it's another thing to be stared at by Lao Zhu.
Don't think that being talented means you will be safe. When Lao Zhu wants to kill you, being talented will have no effect at all.
For example, sincerity is limited to Liu Ji.
Is he talented? Who dares to say that he has no talent?
"Zhuge Liang divides the world into three parts, and Liu Bowen dominates the world."
But even if Liu Ji was so talented, did Lao Zhu ever see any hesitation when he killed him?
In front of Lao Zhu, I still have to be careful.
Stay tight and don't wander.
"Since my father stopped issuing treasure banknotes, the court's expenses have become increasingly tight." Zhu Biao sighed.
"Is the imperial court's budget really so tight that it can't even afford three thousand guans?" Han Du asked with a frown. A camel is so skinny that it is bigger than a horse. If you are so big, no matter how poor you are, you should not be able to afford even this little money.
"It's more tight than you think," Zhu Biao glanced at Han Du from the corner of his eye, "Let me tell you this, since the issuance of treasure notes has been stopped, my father has at least taken one hundred thousand coins from the inner treasury to supplement the imperial court. Now I wish I could break a penny in half and spend it.”
When Han Du heard this, he wisely shut up and did not continue the topic. How long has it been? It has only been a month. Lao Zhu only subsidized the imperial court with a subsidy of 100,000 yuan.
Um?
Han Du suddenly understood why every time he raised money with Lao Zhu, Lao Zhu told him to get lost.
If anyone dared to defraud me of a hundred thousand dollars in a month, I would not only tell him to get out when they met, but I would dare to fight him to the death.
From this point of view, Lao Zhu is quite generous to himself and gets angry without meeting.
But as he listened, Han Du discovered that there seemed to be something wrong with the two men's ideas about money.
After thinking for a moment, Han Du asked doubtfully: "How does Your Highness view money?"
"Money is money, how else should we treat it?" Zhu Biao didn't know why, and felt that Han Du's question was simply in vain.
Han Du straightened his back and thought to himself, it's a good thing you didn't say, "It's hard for a rich man, but it's hard for a man without money."
Sitting upright, he said to Zhu Biao, "Your Highness, can you give me some money? I will give you a demonstration."
Zhu Biao saw Han Du's serious expression and knew that he had something important to say, so he waved his hand and asked the eunuch to give him twenty taels of silver.
"Your Highness, please look," Han Du picked up a silver ingot, "This thing is money to the official, but not to Your Highness."
"For me, this is also money." Zhu Biao retorted.
Well, you have fallen into the eyes of money and you can’t get out, right? Han Du sighed inwardly.
He had no choice but to continue explaining to Zhu Biao, "What I mean is that this thing is money to me, because I can use this silver to buy goods."
"I can also use this silver to buy goods."
Um? Is this going to be endless arrogance?
Han Du was speechless.
Okay, Han Du is going to change the angle, "Your Highness, this silver itself has no value. The reason why it can buy goods is just that our characters have given value to it. People didn't use silver at first. Money, initially shells were used as money, and later they were used as currency and gold and silver.”
Zhu Biao listened thoughtfully. He naturally knew about using shells as money, because it was recorded in history books. In the Spring and Autumn Period, people used shells as money.
"Your Highness, do people still use shells as money now? No more. If the shell itself has the value of money, then why no one uses it now? The reason why no one uses it now is because of himself It does not have value, its value is artificially assigned to it, and the same is true for current currency and gold and silver."
"Not only that, if people recognize something, even if it is a stone or a piece of paper, as long as it is given a value, it can be used as money. This is the case with treasure notes."
Zhu Biao seemed to understand a little, but also seemed a little confused. But when Han Du mentioned Bao Chao, he nodded. The characteristics of treasure banknotes are too obvious. They are just ordinary pieces of paper, but they can be used as coins.
"So money is different for the court and for individuals."
"For me, money is just like what everyone understands in daily life. Money is money and can buy things."
When the critical moment came, Han Du paused and swallowed, "But for the imperial court, money is no longer money, but a tool, a tool for deploying materials."
"Tool?" This statement was too new and too advanced. Zhu Biao couldn't react at once, and it was difficult to understand Han Du's statement. However, he still did not interrupt Han Du and asked him to continue speaking. He just wrote down the word 'tool' first.
"I will give you an example, and your Highness will understand."
Han Du cleared his throat and continued: "With such a family, does Your Highness think that this family is rich if it has twenty taels of silver, or does it mean that this family is rich if it has one thousand catties of grain, twenty catties of meat, and two pieces of cloth?"
"Well, they seem to be about the same, right? You can buy these things with twenty taels of silver." Zhu Biao was confused, wondering why Han Du wanted to find two similar ones and ask him to choose which one was richer.
Han Du smiled, "Your Highness is talking about the situation where this family can buy things with money. What if this family has nothing to buy?"
Zhu Biao's pupils suddenly shrank, as if he had tasted something of Han Du's meaning.
"So what if I have twenty taels of silver? In my opinion, this is not as good as another one. Gold, pearls, and jade can't be eaten when hungry, and can't be drunk when thirsty. Let alone twenty taels, even if it is a mountain of gold and silver, there is no one A bowl of hot rice is important. Your Highness, look at it, does the Ming Dynasty look like a common people? If there is not enough food, meat, and cloth, then the Ming Dynasty will not be able to get anything to satisfy its hunger even if it holds mountains of gold and silver. Your Highness, look around Ming Dynasty. Is there any country in this circle that can provide Ming Dynasty with enough food, meat, and cloth for Ming Dynasty to buy with money?"
Needless to say, there is not one.
What is the size of the Ming Dynasty, and what are the sizes of the surrounding countries?
"So, for the imperial court, food, meat, cloth and other things are wealth and money, and they are definitely not silver or banknotes. If the Ming Dynasty wants to be rich, it should not place its hopes on silver and banknotes. Instead, we should devote ourselves to thinking of ways to increase the production of grain, meat, and cloth. Only when these things increase can the country be truly wealthy."
The example Han Du gave is naturally very crude, but the words are crude but not crude.
Zhu Biao listened as if he was enlightened. Many things that had been seen in the fog in the past suddenly became clearer.
"Listening to your words is worth ten years of studying. I have learned a lesson." Zhu Biao stood up and bowed to Han seriously.
"Your Highness, you must not do this." How could Han Du dare to accept Zhu Biao's gift? He quickly stood up from the chair and hid aside.
After Zhu Biao stopped insisting, Han Du explained with a flattering smile, "I just said it casually. Your Highness just needs to understand. There is no need to be so solemn."
It’s really scary to worship as soon as you come. Han Du couldn't bear this kind of fright. For the sake of his own life, he had better leave quickly.
"Your Highness, remember to send the money to the Baochao Lisu Department. Also, don't forget to recruit civilian husbands. I have other things to do, so I will leave first."
