The payment bill held high in the hand seemed to be as valuable as ten thousand gold, held high above the head, but now it is like catkins blowing in the wind, as fragile and frivolous.
In one day, it can be said to be a world of difference.
Seeing the old man with white hair and bowing to everyone, everyone in Duyanyuan felt sad.
Cai Jing watched this scene and returned to Cai Xiang's house. Although he felt that the old man was very pitiful, his evaluation of Zhang Yuezhi did not decrease at all. In his heart, the other person is truly a man of great wisdom and courage.
It happened that his younger brother Cai Bian also returned home from studying at Wang Anshi.
When the two brothers met, Cai Bian asked, "Brother, have you gone to the Capital Salt Institute again?"
Cai Jing said with a tired look on his face: "Yes."
Seeing that his brother was tired, Cai Bian immediately undressed Cai Jing. Seeing Cai Bian's expression, Cai Jing immediately guessed and asked, "If you have anything to say, you might as well say it!"
Cai Bian smiled and said, "It's nothing. I've learned a lot from the teacher recently. I heard the teacher mentioned Shaanxi's transfer envoy Xue Caoshuai, and he spoke particularly highly of it. What do you think of Xue Caoshuai, brother?"
Cai Jing knew that Xue Xiang was saved by Wang Anshi.
In the fifth year of Jiayou's reign, Ouyang Xiu concurrently served as the herdsman of the group when he was a bachelor of Hanlin.
Ouyang Xiu intended to reform Ma Zheng and return power to the central government. This opinion conflicted with Xue Xiang, the deputy envoy of Shaanxi Province at the time.
So Wang Anshi united with several officials from Xiangdu Horse Herding Station and jointly wrote a letter "Lifting Xue to Zhazi".
In this briefing, Wang Anshi openly opposed Ouyang Xiu and clearly supported Xue Xiang. He greatly appreciated Xue Xiang's move of exchanging salt banknotes for horses in Shaanxi, and believed that Ouyang Xiu should not interfere with Xue Xiang's actions in the northwest. He also advocated that not only Shaanxi, but also the horse administration in Hebei should be managed by Xue Xiang.
It was precisely because of Wang Anshi's support that Xue Xiang took the position of Shaanxi transit envoy.
Cai Jing said: "Xue Caoshuai is certainly a great person, but after he took charge of the salt banknotes, he wasted money in vain, so that the salt banknotes of the imperial court were demoted again and again. This is really regrettable."
Cai Bian said: "But hasn't it increased to more than twenty ounces now?"
Cai Jing said: "That's right. These more than 20 salts are the result of previous rewards. In addition, the merchants in Beijing and central China were attracted by speculation, so that the price of salt in Beijing soared and got out of control, so that the people I suffered. But thanks to the power of Academician Zhang, today it has been reduced to thirteen."
"It's down to the thirteenth session, just today?" Cai Bian said in disbelief.
Cai Jing nodded and said: "That's right. Therefore, in my opinion, Zhang Xueshi is a real talent. Being with him for a few days is better than ten years of studying with him. There are really many vain things in this life." dare."
Cai Bian was quite critical of Zhang Yue, because what he heard when he paid homage to Wang Anshi was not the same. Wang Anshi did not understand Zhang Yue's establishment of this reference office, and he did not have a high opinion of Zhang Yue.
However, Cai Bian knew that his brother admired Zhang Yue very much and did not express his views on Zhang Yue.
He took the initiative to ask to see what it was about Zhang Yue that made his brother admire him so much.
Cai Jing immediately told Cai Bian about the operation of the exchange, and he also talked about the theory of surplus value and the mysterious candle chart.
After hearing this, Cai Bian already wrote seven points and asked: "It seems that this chapter is really so good. The theory of surplus value is indeed something I have never heard of from my teacher, so this candle chart is too false."
"However, this quote is in line with what the teacher said. Bringing all the power of opening up, closing, dispersing and collecting the wealth of the world to the central government, and letting the court compete with traitors like the widow Qing of Bashu for profit, will be a great benefit to the country."
Cai Jing nodded and said, "That's right. In my opinion, Marshal Xue Cao is indeed a talented person, but he is far less talented than Bachelor Zhang."
At this time, a servant came in and said to Cai Jing: "Master, please go there quickly."
Cai Jing knew that Cai Xiang must have learned about the sharp drop in salt banknotes today, so he asked him to ask, so he answered and left. Cai Bian chewed in his stomach what Cai Jing just said, and decided to ask Wang Anshi the next day.
The exchange opened again the next day.
If it was a lively scene here yesterday, it is now in a state of depression.
But seeing the people outside the venue looking dull, the people inside the venue looked as if they had been beaten by frost. As for the empty seats in the hatchback, those seats for large families with more than 50 seats are already half empty compared to yesterday.
Cai Jing walked outside the door and took a look and suddenly thought, as his brother Cai Bian said yesterday, Wang Anshi's ambition is to "take all the power of opening up, closing, dispersing and collecting the wealth of the world to the central government, and let the imperial court and the traitors like the widow Qing of Bashu return to their homes." Strive for profit'.
So why are these big business owners leaving first at the Exchange, while ordinary people stay and suffer?
After Cai Jing left, he saw Shen Chen, Shen Yan's uncle and nephew slowly coming to sit down on the high chair.
As soon as the two sat down, the waiter on the side came forward and said: "Except for the two of you, only buyers with more than fifty seats can sit here. If you two want to sit here, please go to the side and pay the deposit!"
Ana Shen smiled slightly, and Shen Chen stood up and said: "Go and ask the entire Bianjing city if anyone knows about the Shen family's gold, silver, color, and silk shop? I have made it so clear, do you still need to pay a deposit? ?”
The waiter immediately stood in awe upon hearing this, and immediately stepped aside. After a moment, they served tea to the two of them.
The uncle and nephew drank tea leisurely, in sharp contrast to the anxious people beside them. They looked at the water sign in front of them, and the words "Thirteen Guan" were clearly written on it, which was yesterday's closing price.
Shen Chen said: "As expected by uncle, the salt banknotes have fallen, and they have fallen so much in one day. Fortunately, I listened to my uncle and threw away all the salt banknotes on the first day. My uncle really As expected of someone who has been on the battlefield for a long time, he can see through the mystery at a glance."
Ana Shen smiled faintly and said: "I told you that there are experts in this court. Just look at this exchange and this kind of management method. What a genius."
Shen Chen said: "What my uncle said is true, but we threw it too early. It would be great if we could wait until twenty-five dollars before throwing it. But I think we can buy some bargains today."
"Hey, I can't make enough money. I came here today because I want to get to know a friend I've never met before, but I've been with him for a long time."
Shen Chen asked: "Making friends? Uncle, how can we make friends? How can such a dignified court official like us merchants?"
Ana Shen smiled and said: "How to pay? You don't believe it?"
Shen Chen asked: "What can uncle do?"
Shen Yan said: "You have to remember our Shen family's way of doing business. We need to understand not only the twists and turns in the market, but also the rules and regulations in the court. The price of this salt banknote is true and false, and it is unpredictable. , you have to be on guard against those big bankers who eat people without spitting out their bones, and you also have to guard against the yamen’s rules that turn their backs on people and don’t recognize people. If you understand these two points, you can move around freely and retreat calmly."
Shen Chen was confused when he heard this.
However, when Ana Shen saw his nephew like this, he smiled and said, "You will understand when you become the owner of this family."
Cai Jing once walked to the back of the house and said that Zhang Yue's ambition was to bring all the power of opening up, closing, dispersing and collecting the wealth of the world to the central government, but why couldn't he achieve this?
Cai Jing thought of this and silently walked to the large room where Zhang Yue was.
But seeing Zhang Yue still looking at the candle chart with his hands behind his back, Cai Jing stood aside silently.
Cai Jing hesitated for a moment and asked, "Bachelor, what are your plans for today?"
Zhang Yue smiled and said: "Yuan Chang, what would you do if you were in my position?"
Cai Jing thought of Cai Xiang's words last night and whispered: "Bachelor, I heard the news. If the salt money drops again, I'm afraid you will be in big trouble."
Zhang Yue said: "I understand, but Mr. Han asked me to reduce the price of salt banknotes to less than ten coins today. I promised in person, but now you want me to say that I can't do it."
"But those people outside... I am deeply afraid that the maester will offend the public."
Zhang Yue smiled calmly and said: "Yuan Zhang, do you remember what I said to you yesterday? It doesn't matter whether I resign or not. It doesn't matter even if the reference point is gone. The most important thing that can be saved is the salt banknote. This is where the credibility of the imperial court lies, and this is fundamental.”
Speaking of which, the market is open.
In the first quarter, countless people continued to sell salt banknotes.
The price was reduced to ten pieces without any suspense!
Many people outside the hall covered their faces with their hands and cried loudly.
Zhang Yue looked indifferent, while Luo Jianyuan and Cai Jing both looked worried. Luo Supervisor asked: "Is it now..."
Zhang Yue shook his head and said: "We don't have enough money, let's hold back our anger first."
In the second quarter, when the price dropped to eight dollars, Zhang Yue said to Luo Supervisor: "Buy!"
Luo Jianyuan was shocked and asked: "How much do you want to buy?"
Zhang Yue said: "Buy as many as you have!"
There was a cry outside the venue. When someone suddenly saw someone buying money in a big way, everyone was shocked and felt a sense of survival from a desperate situation.
On the side, Shen Chen said to Shen Yan: "Uncle, now that it has fallen to the bottom, someone is buying money. Should we also buy some?"
Ana Shen smiled and said: "You, you didn't understand what I said, you only remembered the first half of the sentence, but you didn't remember what I said in the second half?"
"What does uncle mean?"
Shen Chen said: "I am not here to sit in the sedan chair today, but to help others carry the sedan chair."
At this time, the price of salt banknotes had stopped falling, rising from seven to five hundred coins in one go.
…
Zhang Yue heard Cai Jing report the sales figures of salt banknotes.
Just now, the Jiaoyin Office collected a large amount of salt banknotes between the 7th and 8th Five Hundred Wen, and it was only after all the money in hand was bought that the decline was finally stopped.
On the side, Supervisor Luo came to report: "Bachelor, the price of banknotes outside has risen. From eight 500 coins to ten 500 coins, someone bought 30,000 seats here!"
Zhang Yue knew in his heart that he couldn't get out the money he always had. Who would raise the price of banknotes? Is this for good deeds?
Zhang Yue said to Luo Supervisor: "Have you found out who it is?"
Luo Supervisor said with a happy face: "I found the bill for the Shen family's gold, silver, color, and silk shop. They are helping us raise the price! Now the banknote price has been maintained at 11 or 12 guan."
Zhang Yue heard that the scene outside was completely different.
When it dropped to seven points, it was a lifeless scene, but when the salt notes rose to eleven points, most people cheered.
Compared with just now, it’s really a completely different world.
