It rained in June.
Water splashed from the tiles and gradually pooled into the ditch in the courtyard of the main hall of Sansi Yamen. Except for the sound of rain, there was no other sound in the yamen where thousands of officials were.
Cai Xiang stood in front of the main hall and watched the rain. At this moment, the rain gradually subsided, and a gentleman came slowly from the corridor carrying tea soup.
After the tea soup was put down in front of Zhang Yue's case, beside him were two members of the family, Cai Xiang and Fan Shidao.
Zhang Yue and Fan Shidao were left behind after the Salt and Iron Division's report just now.
Cai Xiang continued to watch the rain, and one of his subordinates asked: "Judge Zhang, why is it that the salt banknotes in the Capital Salt Institute have risen to such a high level now?"
Zhang Yue was silent.
Cai Xiang was stroking his thick beard, while Fan Shidao was drinking tea.
The servant continued to ask: "Judge Zhang, why do the salt notes rise instead of falling?"
Zhang Yue still didn't answer.
"Are you trying to lower the price of salt banknotes by deliberately speculating on salt banknotes?" Cai Xiang suddenly interjected and asked.
Zhang Yue said: "Reporting to the provincial governor is not something I am trying to promote."
Zhang Yue's trading techniques were based on the futures trading techniques of later generations.
There are two types of futures trading methods, one is the one-price-per-section system, and the other is the well-known continuous bidding system.
For example, the call auction for the first fifteen minutes and the last three minutes of the Shanghai and Shenzhen trading days is a one-section, one-price system.
Continuous bidding gives priority to price and time. There is only one rule for one-section-one-price system and that is price priority!
For example, if the negotiated transaction price is ten guan, if the buyer previously called for 12 guan or 11 guan, then the transaction will be given priority, even if the transaction is finally completed with ten guan.
This is a section-one-price system.
Cai Xiang listened to Zhang Yue's general explanation. Although he thought it was a wonderful method, he did not fully understand the set of price operation rules, and he still could not eliminate the suspicion that Zhang Yue was speculating on salt banknotes.
Cai Xiang said: "I don't advocate the establishment of a reference office, because competing for benefits with the people would be unkind in politics. This is not my original intention."
Zhang Yue said: "Provincial Lord, if you didn't allow merchants to invest in the stock exchange and adopted the method of government supervision and business management, how could you argue about competing with the people for profit?"
Cai Xiang was choked by Zhang Yue's words and said angrily: "Nowadays, the price of money in the capital is very high. Instead of lowering the price of salt, you are pushing it up. This move is probably the same as that of Xue Shizheng (Xue Xiang)."
"I want to ask you how much a salt bill will cost tomorrow? Can it be reduced?"
Zhang Yue simply said: "I'm afraid it will rise again tomorrow!"
Cai Xiang changed his expression and said: "You hold one hundred thousand salt notes in your hand. Not only did the price of twenty thousand salt notes not fall by one penny at the beginning, but now it has risen to twenty-three notes and five hundred coins. So we know that Mr. Han will extend your grace period in three days." ?”
Can Zhang Yue say that he has dispersed 80,000 or 90,000 salt banknotes from 100,000 seats?
Zhang Yue said: "I am unwilling to surrender unless I am the lord of the province. In the past, the imperial court issued many orders, and the price of banknotes in the capital has always been lower than 20 guan. Now that I have withdrawn and lowered the price, many speculators are chasing the increase. I even saw that among the buyers, the price of banknotes in the capital was Dozens of exchange shops here also make large purchases from the Exchange."
A subordinate on the side said: "It doesn't mean that the 100,000-seat salt note has always been unable to be lowered. Now the Queen Mother is looking at the price of salt, and Zhongshu is also asking questions."
"Not to mention Xianggong Han's order, how many people in the court are looking at this salt banknote now?"
Cai Xiang said to Master Fan: "Deputy Ambassador Fan, Judge Zhang is now newly appointed. How about you share the work for him for the time being and take over the duties of the Capital Salt Institute?"
Fan Shidao did not answer immediately after hearing this.
Zhang Yue stood up and said: "Provincial Lord, I don't dare to work for Deputy Minister Fan. The price of salt will drop within three days. I'm just worried that once... the price of salt drops sharply, many people will go bankrupt!"
Cai Xiang interrupted: "I don't want to ask anything else, but what if the salt banknotes are not reduced to ten guan in three days?"
Zhang Yue stood up and said: "Don't worry, provincial governor. If you can't do it, I will resign and apologize!"
Cai Xiang nodded and said: "Then go ahead and do it! I'll give you three more days."
After Zhang Yue left, heavy rain fell!
Cai Xiang was so angry that he couldn't even take a sip of the tea soup.
Fan Shidao said to Cai Xiang, "Don't be angry, Lord of the Province. Judge Zhang has just entered the officialdom and doesn't know what to do. He doesn't know how much the Lord of the Province has to do with him."
Cai Xiang sighed: "Uncle Yong has entrusted me to take care of his nephew many times, but he is so determined to go his own way, and no one can protect him unless he sets up a crossroads. When the three-day deadline is up, not only him, but also you and me You have to take responsibility too!"
Fan Shidao remembered that when a vacancy in political affairs became available, the official family originally intended to choose between Cai Xiang and Ouyang Xiu, but in the end they chose Ouyang Xiu.
However, Ouyang Xiu and Cai Xiang have maintained their friendship. Someone once asked him, and Cai Xiang said, "Uncle Yong and I have been friends for many years, and we are both normal."
Fan Shidao said: "This son will not let Uncle Yong's cultivation go down. But as soon as the price of salt dropped, the exchange office was withdrawn. It is really outrageous for the court to compete with the people for profit."
Cai Xiang said: "That's right."
The subordinate said: "But now I have twenty-three guan and 500 guan. How can I drop to ten guan in three days? It is hard to believe no matter what."
Zhang Yue returned to his house and heard Zhang Shi calling him to eat. He was not in the mood at all, but he happened to see Cai Jing having a meal at home as usual.
"Yuan Chang!"
As soon as Cai Jing heard Zhang Yue's call, he asked, "What are the bachelor's orders?"
Zhang Yue smiled and said, "Do you want to accompany me for a few drinks today?"
Cai Jing was slightly flattered when he heard this, and immediately said: "Of course, this is my honor."
Immediately, Mr. Yu ordered people to bring the food and send it to the study. The Seventeenth Mother had been a little tired recently, so Mr. Yu took care of the housework.
Zhang Yue and Cai Jing sat down to drink together in the study.
Zhang Yue personally poured wine for Cai Jing, and Cai Jing quickly said: "I don't dare to accept it."
Zhang Yue smiled and said: "Now I am serving as a servant under your clan father, what's wrong with me?"
Cai Jing listened to Xian Zhiyin and asked, "Does the bachelor have anything you want me to convey to the clan father?"
Zhang Yue smiled and said: "Just chatting and Yuan Chang drinking!"
Cai Jing took a sip of wine and immediately filled Zhang Yue's glass. Zhang Yue said, "Chang Yuan, do you know what the first thing I did after I was sentenced to the Salt and Iron Division?"
Cai Jing said: "Suppress the price of salt banknotes in the capital."
Cai Jing has always been interested in inquiring about the Zhang family.
Cai Jing had a smile on his face and laughed before he said anything. There is no formality in his conversation, and he is like a breath of fresh air to everyone both above and below. No matter how big or small the matter is, it is as if he is sitting down with you and chatting about everyday things.
Zhang Yue said: "But when I suppressed the price of grain, do you know what I did?"
Cai Jing asked: "The Empress Dowager Shangshu pardoned two medical officers?"
Zhang Yue put his hands on his hands and laughed and said, "Of course, do you know why?"
Cai Jing shook his head.
Zhang Yue said: "At the beginning, I said that the way to observe the sky and the way to act in the sky is what it means. It is to act according to the rules. Do you think officials can kill medical officials?"
Cai Jing said: "Of course you can kill him."
"Then why did I say not to kill?"
Cai Jing thought for a moment and said, "If I kill him, I'm afraid the medical officers will not try their best, or there will be no medical officers who dare to do the job. In the end, his illness will not be cured for a long time. Isn't that the case in the imperial court now?"
Zhang Yue nodded and said: "Of course. Therefore, medical officers can kill, but killing violates the rules and will be counterattacked by the rules. This is 'when people send murderous intentions, heaven and earth will change again!' Even as an official, he is no exception. !”
Zhang Yue said: "If you are free tomorrow, come to the Duyanyuan Interchange Office!"
Cai Jing cupped his hands and said, "I obey!"
The next day, Cai Jing dressed neatly and came to the Capital Salt Courtyard. When he got to the door, he saw a long line of people coming to buy banknotes.
A subordinate official has been waiting here for a long time and asked: "Is this Cai Yuanchang? The bachelor asked me to lead you in."
Cai Jing Yixi followed his subordinates and walked into Duyanyuan from the back door, only to see that the place was bustling with people.
Countless people raised their hands high, holding buying and selling orders. Everyone's face was shining, and they looked nervous and engaged. Cai Jing liked this place as soon as he saw it.
The assistant led Cai Jing to introduce them one by one.
Like the rules of the Exchange, like the one-section-one-price system? How are buy and sell orders delivered? Cai Jing listened attentively. This series of rules was complicated but not complicated, which made Cai Jing admire Zhang Yue greatly.
After explaining the rules, the subordinate staff took Cai Jing to see Zhang Yue.
Zhang Yue was in the room and said to Cai Jing: "Yuan Chang, what do you think of this exchange?"
Cai Jing paced for a moment and said: "The exchange office can be said to have created a trend for the court and gradually gained power, so that the benefits of the exchange of salt and banknotes will not be occupied by powerful businessmen. It is really a great contribution to the national economy and people's livelihood!"
"good!"
Zhang Yue walked up to Cai Jing. With this knowledge, it is no wonder that you will be a bigger official than your clan father in the future.
Zhang Yue said: "It's just about making profits for the country, it's still up to you!"
Cai Jing said: "I would like to hear the details!"
Zhang Yue said: "From what I said yesterday, the laws of heaven move according to their own rules, and so does the price of salt banknotes."
"The imperial court said that the salt banknotes were worth six guan per seat, but last year the people only valued it at three or four guan. Now the court has said that the salt banknotes cannot rise more than 20 guan in less than a year, but here at the Exchange, it is worth more than 20 guan. ."
"Yuan Chang, let me ask you how much this salt banknote is worth? Does the court's decision count?"
Cai Jing said: "Things that are small in the world are considered valuable, and those that are in abundance are considered cheap! The imperial court is not responsible for what it says."
Zhang Yue said: "Yes or no. Of course the court said so, but it's just against the rules."
"Do you think this salt bill is worth six? Just for a piece of paper?"
Cai Jing said: "With this, you can get 116 pounds of salt in Jiechi."
Zhang Yue said: "A farmer who rents a salt field and works in it can only get a few hundred kilograms of salt a year. If my salary is seventeen guan, it means that buying this table of salt will cost me almost ten days of salary."
"So the salt banknote is just an intermediary. I used my time to buy the Qifu's time. The Qifu's working time is the value of the salt banknote."
"As for the salt banknotes, I have now bought more than 20 salt coins, which is far more than the value of Qi Fu's labor. This excess is called surplus value."
Cai Jing showed a thoughtful look and immediately said: "So the price is determined by the amount, and the value is determined by the working time."
Zhang Yue admired Cai Jing from the bottom of his heart. He could understand the knowledge he had gained by reading countless books.
Why is this traitor so smart?
Zhang Yue said: "The surplus value is unpaid working time. There is money from the court, money from merchants, and money from money."
"Salt is the foundation of the country and the life and death of the people. Nowadays, the price of salt is soaring, and what the court is doing is to bring the price closer to the value. This is the good intention of all public servants."
"However, the price depends on the quantity and quantity of things. We should not abandon its laws and seek its way. Please give me these words..."
Zhang Yue was about to ask Cai Jing to tell Cai Xiang.
But Cai Jing suddenly said: "Xueshi Zhang, are you in need of someone?"
Zhang Yue: "???"
