But Cai Xiang looked at the account book for a long time, then suddenly covered it and said: "This is even more unacceptable!"
Fan Shidao wanted to speak, but after hearing Cai Xiang's words, he seemed to have thought of something and did not speak.
Cai Xiang said: "This money is used to enrich the people! How can we bear it? Judge Zhang, I know what you are going to say. The court will not take this money, but the powerful people will also take it. But I dare not set a precedent for this. The country is a sinner!”
Zhang Yue thought to himself, if I don't do it, someone will do it in future generations.
Fan Shidao looked at Zhang Yue's expression and said: "Go back to Du! This matter cannot be changed... But it is better not to let Zhongshu know about this account book. The dividend proposal is feasible. This year, the ministers in the three yamen are short of money. Ju Shen... just in time (divided him)..."
Zhang Yue glanced at Fan Shidao and thought, are you really the nephew of Fan Zhongyan and Fan Wenzheng? Is this the feeling of being worried because of innate worries, and being happy because of acquired joy? You are not a fake, are you?
Cai Xiang gave Fan Shidao a serious look, and finally Fan Shidao sighed and returned the account book to Zhang Yue.
"Provincial Lord!"
Zhang Yue took off his official hat and said: "It is a small matter for me to resign, but it is a big matter to save it with quotations. Lord of the province, if you save it with quotations, it will be deposited with salt banknotes!"
"Why do you keep salt banknotes when you cite them? Can you tell me what's the reason?" Cai Xiang asked loudly.
Zhang Yue knew that victory or defeat depended on this, so he expressed his opinion to Cai Xiang.
…
For half an hour, Zhang Yue looked at Cai Xiang, and Fan Shidao still looked half-understood and half-puzzled, knowing that it was still a little difficult for them to understand his theory.
Perhaps his nephew Cai Jing can understand it immediately.
Cai Xiang asked Fan Shidao: "What do you think of Du Zhi's words?"
Fan Shidao pondered for a moment and said, "After listening to Zhang Xueshi's long speech, it seems to make some sense, and I also think it is feasible."
Zhang Yue felt bad in his heart after hearing this. What is the difference between Fan Shidao's words and "You write a lot of words, I believe you."
Doubt ×2!
Cai Xiang said: "You said you can't take into account the three, but now I think you, the Institute of Citation, and the salt banknote can't take into account the three. How do you choose?"
Zhang Yue's chest felt hot, and he was about to speak, but finally said: "Xiaguan...Xiaguan...I don't know!"
Cai Xiang smiled when he heard this and said, "If you say this, you should use it to convince Zhongshu!"
Zhang Yue was surprised and happy when he heard this.
Cai Xiang said to Zhang Yue and Master Fan, "Follow me to the political hall!"
The western suburbs of Bianjing in June.
A group of people drove slowly into Bianjing.
During this period, the team stopped at a pavilion, and saw a person standing in the pavilion, none other than Feng Sanyuan and Feng Jing.
Feng Jing saw an old man stepping down from the carriage and bowed quickly.
"Congratulations to Lao Taishan for his return to Beijing!"
This old man is certainly Fu Bi, and he is now returning to Beijing.
Tea, soup and snacks were served in the road pavilion. Fu Bi sat down in the pavilion and said, "That's it, that's all. I'll waive all these false gifts. Is the official's illness getting better?"
Feng Jing heard that the first thing Fu Bi did when he came to Beijing was to care about the official's illness. He couldn't help but admire him. This is the body of a minister and the concern of an old minister.
Feng Jing said: "The officials were doing better in the past few days. They were able to listen to politics together with the Queen Mother in Rouyi Hall, but then they fell ill and could not take medicine. Mr. Han Xianggong personally served the officials with medicine, but the medicine bowl was knocked over by the officials. He soiled Xianggong Han's clothes, and my son-in-law witnessed this with his own eyes. After Xianggong Han left, the Queen Mother said to him that it is not easy for Xianggong Han. "
After hearing Feng Jing talk about Han Qi's embarrassment, Fu Bi did not ridicule his political opponents, but continued to ask: "Has the official taken the medicine?"
Feng Jing said: "Then Prince Zhongzhen was by his side and personally advised the officials to take the medicine, and the officials just took it."
Fu Bi felt relieved and said, "That's good."
"How about Prime Minister Zhang?"
Fu Bi asked about Zhang Sheng, the privy envoy.
That day, the official fell ill one day. In front of the Queen Mother, Han Qi, Zhang Sheng and other officials from the second government, he said, "Zhang Sheng is going to harm me!"
This incident made the officials of the second government on the side all shocked and confused.
After Zhang Sheng resigned, he immediately resigned. After all, Zhang Sheng was the second-ranking civil servant left by the late emperor. It would not be good to dismiss him immediately, so the officials pretended to retain him and said: "If the Lieutenant is not busy, he can stay in five days." It would be nice to have a visit to the Privy Council."
At this time, Sima Guang came forward to speak out. He said that Zhang Sheng's retirement was because some good people said that the old minister was not letting go of his power, making them uneasy about his position. In fact, it is useless for young people who do not want to make progress to be in office, but for veterans who want to do things and can do things, it does not matter even if they are in office. An innocent minister like Zhang Sheng will never make mistakes.
Sima Guang's words are tantamount to pointing at the officials and scolding them. Who is the minister who wants to do things and can do them? Who are the young people who are not enterprising?
However, Sima Guang had the merit of persuading people to enter, and he was not afraid of scolding the emperor.
When Fu Bi heard what Feng Jing said, he couldn't help laughing and said: "Junshi is still so upright and outspoken! With such a court official, why worry about unhealthy trends."
After a pause, Fu Bi said: "The official family is really unreasonable."
Feng Jing was stunned and said that his father-in-law would remain a gentleman as always. Even if he was dissatisfied with the official family, he would only give a few words of blame.
I didn't expect Fu Bi to say such serious words, which was unlike his previous style.
"However, the officials here are trying to persuade Prime Minister Zhang to keep him and not allow him to resign. The Prime Minister is not going to the Privy Council Office now, but he just claims to be ill at home. Over there, the Queen Mother's father-in-law is the Privy Council envoy. Now the officials are dissatisfied with the Privy Council and it is known to the whole world."
That's right, after Fu Bi came to Beijing, there were two privy envoys in the imperial court.
However, it would be awkward for others, but Fu Bi and Zhang Sheng don't have to. Zhang Sheng was promoted by Fan Zhongyan. He and Fu Bi have been good friends for many years, but it requires a certain process.
After Fu Bi asked the officials and Zhang Sheng, he said to Feng Jing: "I heard that there is a reference office under the Yanyuan of the Capital City?"
Feng Jing said: "Yes, this is the storyteller in the Chongzheng Hall, and now the Salt and Iron Division Zhang Du is here to do it!"
Fu Bi said: "I heard in Xijing that the young people are terrible!"
Feng Jing was slightly startled and said: "I see that this exchange has forced many people to lose their homes in recent days. I heard that some of the famous wealthy businessmen in Beijing have thrown themselves into the river because of this!"
Fu Bi said: "The inside story is not what it seems to outsiders. What do you think of Zhang Duzhi?"
Feng Jing recalled the on-the-spot reaction between him and Zhang Yue when he died in the official family: "I thought he was just a talented person, but later I thought..."
Fu Bi said with a smile: "Pang Shiyuan is not a talented person. He has to show his talents only when he is in charge and not in charge. I understand!"
After saying this, Fu Bi stood up and Du Guan handed Fu Bi a bamboo stick. Fu Bi stretched out his hand to take Feng Jing's hand and said, "Let's go to Beijing!"
Feng Jing's spirit was shaken, and he immediately followed Fu Bi's carriage and horses into Bianjing City.
Just before Fu Bi returned to Beijing, Zhang Yue, Cai Xiang and Fan Shidao came to the Political Affairs Hall.
This was the time when the prime ministers were having a public meal, and there was a meeting in the political hall before noon.
The prime ministers were quarreling over political affairs and were red-faced. At lunch, everyone sat down to chat and enhance their feelings. After a few glasses of wine, everyone was reconciled as before.
Of course, the time-honored story about Ding Wei giving Kou Zhun his "whisker" also happened on this occasion.
When Cai Xiang and others arrived, three prime ministers, Han Qi, Zeng Gongliang, and Ouyang Xiu, were having a public meal. Zhang Yue saw that the food of the prime ministers was indeed different!
Next to the corridor of the main hall, three people were sitting on a group table with more than a dozen delicacies.
Han Qi and Ouyang Xiu both had wine cups in front of them. Han Qi's wine cup was larger and Ouyang Xiu's was smaller. As for Zeng Gongliang, he didn't drink at all. He had already eaten half of the bowl of rice he was holding.
When Han Qi saw Cai Xiang, he immediately greeted him: "Jun Mo is here, let's have some food together."
The attendants immediately brought the bowls and chopsticks and moved chairs to sit on. Cai Xiang sat down unceremoniously. Fan Shidao and Zhang Yue stood aside, watching the prime minister and his own superiors eating.
Cai Xiang picked up the bowl, picked up the vegetables with chopsticks, and then talked to Han Qi while eating.
Zhang Yue and Fan Shidao stood far away and could not hear what was said.
But I saw Han Qi listening to Cai Xiang's words, wiping his mouth with a kerchief and giving some instructions to his attendants.
So the attendants set up the dining table mats for Zhang Yue and Fan Shidao, took two plates of dishes from the table and brought them to the dining table without using any chopsticks.
But one plate was roasted mutton, and the other was boiled water shield and bamboo shoots, with a spoonful of meat sauce on top.
Zhang Yue was also hungry, so he ate rice frantically, then grilled mutton with a few chopsticks, put water shield and bamboo shoots into a bowl, and continued to ate rice. Finally, he raised the empty bowl with not a grain of rice left and said domineeringly to the waiter on the side: "Excuse me, please add another bowl!"
Fan Shidao on the side raised the corner of his mouth when he saw this.
Ouyang Xiu listened to the conversation between Han Qi and Cai Xiang, turned to look at Zhang Yue and couldn't help but smile, and asked someone to bring two bowls of food to Zhang Yue from the table, said Master Fan.
Zhang Yue was only half full. Here, Cai Xiang, Han Qi and other prime ministers also had a preliminary exchange of opinions. The waiter over there removed the table unceremoniously.
The six of them were enjoying the cool breeze under the public corridor.
Zhang Yue and Fan Shidao stepped forward as ordered. Han Qi said to Zhang Yue: "It was agreed at the beginning that the exchange and reference office was just a temporary measure. How could the exchange and reference office be abolished and the salt banknotes no longer exist? Please tell me a reason! "
Zhang Yue knew that the existence and death of Jiao Yin was related to this. If he could not convince the prime ministers present, all his efforts would be in vain.
Zhang Yue chewed the leftover food in his mouth and said immediately: "Xia Guan looks at the past and present..."
Fan Shidao coughed slightly, feeling that Zhang Yue's behavior was a bit unethical.
Han Qi smiled and indicated that there was no harm in continuing.
Zhang Yue swallowed hard and then said, "... When it comes to the imperial court's money, there are three things that cannot be taken into consideration at the same time. They are divided into importance, circulation, and exchange!"
Everyone: "???"
They can still know the weight. The weight comes from the tube. There is a saying in the tube that "coins are heavy but everything is light, coins are light but everything is heavy".
As for circulation, what does exchange mean?
In fact, what Zhang Yue said is the theory of the impossible triangle of later economics, that is, independent monetary policy, liquidity, and exchange rate cannot coexist.
Han Qi and the others were at a loss. They looked at Zhang Yue, who was full of oil, and talked eloquently: "In the past, salt banknotes were designed for merchants to enter Shaanxi, and the people who bought and sold them were between merchants such as grain merchants and salt merchants. . The imperial court set a salt limit of 116 kilograms per seat as the six salts, and the Third Division and Shaanxi agreed to pay a fixed amount of salt banknotes every year. They have always been in peace, but why did the salt policy change later?"
"Later, the merchants on the border discovered that it was inconvenient to carry copper and iron money back to Beijing from the border in Shaanxi, so they asked the Chinese merchants to buy salt banknotes and then returned to Beijing to sell them to salt merchants. Later, the money law of the court was corrupted. So salt banknotes gradually became popular as Chu coins."
Han Qi said: "To save it, tell it slowly from beginning to end..."
Zhang Yue said: "In fact, the money laws of this dynasty have always had many disadvantages. Copper coins and iron coins are enough for ordinary people in daily life, but for trade, large amounts of money come in and out. It is not enough. Businessmen going to Shaanxi trade carry thousands of kilograms of money. Coins are extremely inconvenient. Not only do they cost transportation capacity, but they are also vulnerable to prying eyes."
"Later, merchants saw salt banknotes and thought they were easy to carry and exchange, so their purchases increased. Some wealthy businessmen saw that it was more convenient to store salt banknotes than gold and silver, so they also exchanged gold and silver for salt banknotes and used them in large transactions. On top of trade.”
"Thus, the salt banknotes changed from the original reference to coins!"
"What's the difference between Jiaoyin and coins?" Zeng Gongliang asked.
This theory was indeed difficult for the ancients to understand. At this time, Zhang Yue's sense of superiority as a first-class teaching student emerged spontaneously. Looking at Han Qi, Zeng Gongliang and other senior leaders sat as if they were students.
He said: "Of course it is different. The quotations cannot be circulated, but the coins can be circulated. Originally, salt banknotes were only circulated between salt merchants and traders, which amounted to tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of seats a year."
"Due to the rarity of salt banknotes (sacrifice of circulation), the imperial court can issue a fixed amount of salt banknotes every year (independent monetary policy), and then redeem them with six guans (fixed exchange rate), forming a balance like a triangle."
"But after the salt banknotes became currency, they became available to ordinary people instead of being purchased by salt merchants, so they became liquid!"
"In other words, after the salt banknotes become circulated, in order to form a new triangular balance, the court must issue a fixed amount of salt banknotes every year (independent monetary policy) or pay six guans per seat (fixed exchange rate)."
"To put it bluntly, there is a supply and a demand, but with more people buying, the balance is broken, and salt banknotes are purchased in large quantities by the private sector. In the end, the three government offices have no choice but to continue to delegate the power to print banknotes to the Shaanxi Transshipment Department."
"In this way, the imperial court has lost its importance."
Han Qi and others looked at each other and realized that things were indeed developing as Zhang Yue said.
The imperial court gave up its independent monetary policy to achieve a fixed exchange rate of six consistent seats and the liquidity of salt banknotes, forming a new triangular balance.
The demand side is amplifying. In order to maintain price balance, we can only find ways on the supply side.
Zhang Yue said: "But the Shaanxi Transportation Department, which holds the most important power, never thought about the imperial court and kept printing money, so that false money became prevalent. By the time the imperial court knew about it, it was too late to take back the important power. .The people are filled with a lot of fake money!"
"Therefore, in the fifth year of Jiayou's reign, Fan Xiang, the salt envoy who established the salt law, reformed his salt law and established the Capital Salt Institute. He gave up the payment of six guan and one seat, and instead rigidly redeemed the salt banknotes with five guan and 500 yuan. When the salt banknotes increased, The highest price minus five hundred coins was used to sell the salt banknotes.”
"This is the balanced method mentioned in Guanzi, and it can be called a good method."
However, Fan Xiang's reform caused a conflict between the Third Division and the Shaanxi Transportation Division...
Zhang Yue said: "The power of importance (independent monetary policy) lies with the imperial court, which must not be lost. The circulation of salt banknotes benefits the country and the people (circulation) and must not be lost. Therefore, the only way to change the order is to change it at the Liuguan seat." …”
