Chapter 247 Making a fortune behind closed doors
"How long until birth?"
Chen Cao looked at Shen Zhuangling's growing belly: "I'm afraid it's a son."
Shen Zhuangling laughed: "My father-in-law is joking, what if it's a daughter?"
"Uncle..."
Xin Zhao personally carried the tray into the room: "Please take a look."
Shen Zhuangling pointed to the silver dollar in the tray: "This is made according to the father-in-law's request, and is made by adding silver-white molten iron extracted from the ore by Thai and Western craftsmen."
Chen Cao naturally knew that the silver-white molten iron Shen Zhuangling was talking about was the mineral nickel, a good thing for making stainless steel. The silver dollar coin in front of him was die-cast from stainless steel.
"What about the ingredients?"
"Complete..."
"nickel..."
"Oh yes, full nickel die-cast."
Chen Cao then nodded. Although silver is a good thing, it is too bad to use it to make silver coins. Moreover, without the knowledge of the people, metals like nickel, which are whiter than silver, can naturally gradually replace silver's status in the future.
The front of the silver dollar is engraved with the Thai numeral '1', the edge is engraved with the four small characters of Da Ming Bank, and the back is a chrysanthemum with the word 'Da Ming' engraved in the middle of the open chrysanthemum, which is somewhat similar to the coins of later generations.
"Well, all nickel is too wasteful. Add iron, and the weight will go up."
Shen Zhuangling said in surprise: "Master, then..."
"I know what you mean," Chen Cao pointed at the silver dollar: "After the iron eight is made, it can be wrapped in nickel. Even if it is stained with water, it can be guaranteed not to rot for twenty years."
In fact, this is Chen Cao's alarmist statement. The coins of later generations are also made of all iron, with a layer of coating on the surface. After being used in water, it can last for up to five years. The stainless layer on the surface will fall off and the coins will begin to rust.
Then according to Chen Cao's plan, twenty years is just a reassuring choice. Five years later, the world situation will have changed drastically, and money will naturally change accordingly. In short, Chen Cao is not optimistic about poisonous things like money.
Shen Zhuangling took the silver dollar and looked at it carefully for a long time, and then nodded thoughtfully: "If you are discovered to mint coins in private, it will be a serious crime of beheading."
Chen Cao suddenly knocked on Shen Zhuangling's forehead: "I have the final say in Songjiang."
"After the silver dollar is minted, it will gradually replace the current currency in Songjiang Prefecture. The military pay of the sergeants will be calculated based on this. In order to make it circulate, the payment of commercial taxes should first be based on the silver dollar. Those who are unwilling to exchange it will have to pay fifteen The tax is one, if the tax is paid in silver dollars, then the tax is seventeen one."
"The whole Songjiang?"
Chen Cao shook his head: "Only in Shanghai County and other places in Songjiang, if the commercial tax is 20 yuan, it will be 25 yuan to pay in silver dollars."
Shen Zhuangling was horrified when she heard this: "My lord, doing this will cause troubles for the wealthy gentry in Qingpu and other places that were originally unwilling to do so. It is unlikely that they will cause trouble again."
This is what Chen Cao wants. After the last riot in Qingpu, few people were arrested at all, and now Wang Bubu's Songjiang Guards are ordered to station in Qingpu. It is the sword held above the heads of those people.
"Don't pay attention to Huating County. If Huang Shijing cannot effectively implement this tax rate, then his official position will be over. Now any of the literati under his command are either jealous of the position of Songjiang prefect or the position of Huating County magistrate. Huang Chunyao and several others He hinted to me several times in private, if I hadn't watched Liu Shouwen act obediently, I would have removed him long ago."
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"I heard that our military pay will be paid in silver dollars in the future."
At the station of the First Division of the Dingwu Army, the battalion commander Liu Liangzuo, who had just received the news, strode into the camp of his headquarters.
The deputy battalion commander hurried over and asked, "Battalion Commander, I heard that military pay has been increased?"
Liu Liangzuo looked indifferent: "Why, your previous salary is less for you?"
When the deputy battalion commander heard this, he quickly smiled and said, "No way, aren't you happy for the brothers? Several of my company commanders have asked me this several times."
Liu Liangzuo said worriedly: "The Duke changed the military pay from silver to silver dollars. I heard that even small coins were changed. This is a private coinage, an act of rebellion..."
Liu Liangzuo was also a related household, and his family was affected by the purge of Wei Zhongxian's party, so he didn't think much about the imperial court, but now he needs to have some thoughts in his position.
The deputy battalion commander laughed and said, "Why worry, battalion commander? We just need to obey the military orders and pass them on. What to do is the Lord's business."
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"Seventeen taxes and one? Seriously?"
The owner of a restaurant on Yuhua Street grabbed his waiter and said, "If you tell nonsense, be careful of your legs."
The boy repeatedly begged for mercy: "Don't worry, shopkeeper. How can I dare to talk nonsense? The people from the Commercial and Taxation Bureau posted the notice in person in the city. I heard that it will be posted door to door."
The shopkeeper had a smile on his face. In the past, the tax rate was 1 per 15, but if the tax was changed to 17 per cent, then the extra 20% profit would be in vain, and he felt happy for a moment.
But what the boy said next made him think.
"Shopkeeper, don't panic. I heard from the people at the Commercial Taxation Bureau that if you want to qualify for the 17-in-1 tax, you need to pay silver dollars when the Commercial Taxation Bureau comes to collect taxes."
"Silver dollar? What's more?"
The boy nodded: "I don't know even if I'm young. I heard from people at the Commercial Taxation Bureau that Da Ming Bank will issue silver coins equivalent to gold and silver. If you want to pay taxes, you have to go to Da Ming Bank to exchange them."
Obviously, this shopkeeper is just an outsider in Yuhua Street. They are Huizhou merchants. The source of local business is basically an industry monopolized by Daming Foreign Trade Group. 70% of Yuhua Street is their industry.
It's just that the current construction of Shanghai County focuses on Yuhua Street, which is naturally the most prosperous place.
As soon as the boy finished speaking, the staff of the Commercial Taxation Bureau came to the door with a booklet. The shopkeeper hurriedly greeted him: "Hey, isn't this Mr. Zhang? What kind of wind has brought you here?"
'Master Zhang' is very young. He was born as a pariah and has just graduated from Nanjing Military Academy's miscellaneous studies. He is assigned to work in the Commercial and Taxation Bureau.
"Don't call me Mr. Zhang. I'm just a businessman. You can call me by my name."
The shopkeeper still nodded and bowed, and then asked: "I don't know that the gust of wind brought Brother Zhang here, but what kind of tax reform does the Duke have?"
The young man surnamed Zhang laughed and said, "You are quite well informed. Take this booklet. By order of Songjiang Governor's Yamen, I am here to teach you and other merchants the new tax payment method.
In order to promote the taxation of our Songjiang Prefecture and enable the people to live a good life, the Duke has decreed that all merchants who pay taxes in silver dollars will enjoy the policy of one tax per seventeen. If you still use gold and silver to pay taxes, you can, but the tax rate is still There is a tax of one per fifteen, and the general ledger must be checked at the end of the year;
In addition, in order to prevent you and other merchants from losing money, the Duke has ordered that anyone who exchanges gold and silver for silver dollars can enjoy a 20% discount interest rate. After equal exchange, ten taels of silver can be exchanged for ten silver dollars. In addition, extra gifts will be given. The exchanger has two silver dollars, equivalent to ten taels of silver, which can be exchanged for twelve silver dollars;
Of course, this opportunity does not come every time and is only available for bulk exchanges. "
The words were very clear, and the shopkeeper understood immediately: "Yes, yes, I understand, one hundred taels of silver can be exchanged for one hundred and twenty silver dollars."
"Well, that's the reason. In addition, the Governor's Yamen has also said that copper coins will still be accepted. One silver dollar is worth one tael of silver. As for the calculation methods such as money and cents, it will remain unchanged for the time being. Just wait and listen. It will be collected next month. At tax time, any merchant's house will not accept gold, silver or copper coins, only silver dollars. If the merchant cannot pay, you should stop doing this business and close down."
The shopkeeper panicked when he heard this: "Brother Zhang, didn't you just say that you can also accept gold and silver?"
"Yes, that's what I said, but I haven't finished. I will still charge it this month, but I won't charge it starting next month. You merchants who do business can also add up the turnover. In addition, nowadays, silver dollar exchange is only available at Daming Bank. It's okay, don't go to the wrong place, remember, it's a bank, not a bank..."
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After experiencing several military exploits, Yan Chun, the small flag officer at that time, is now the commander of the second regiment of the first brigade of the first division of the Dingwu Army. His status in charge of 1,800 people is naturally not comparable to that of the Shaanxi refugees back then.
"How is it? How is your life now?"
Chen Cao and Yan Chun sat opposite each other, and behind Yan Chun sat the commanders of the second regiment at all levels.
"I'm living a good life now in my humble position," Yan Chun smiled broadly, exactly the same as when Chen Cao met him for the first time: "My mother-in-law gave birth to a big fat boy for me last year. Now my parents and brothers are all here. I work in the workshop and my life is worry-free, all thanks to my father-in-law’s cultivation.”
Chen Cao laughed, and then patted his knees: "I can only be regarded as a guide. Your achievements are made by yourself with one shot. It does not count on me. I am just rewarding according to my merits. I will try my best to I won’t let meritorious people like you lose the credit.”
"Master, I heard that we will be giving out silver coins in the future?"
Xin Laosan has now become famous with Yan Chun and has become the deputy of the second regiment.
Chen Cao nodded: "Our future development must keep up with the pace of the European and American countries. We cannot let those small barbarian countries look down on our country. This currency is the first priority. But don't worry, from now on The silver coins you receive from the beginning of this month can be used as long as they are within Songjiang Prefecture. If your family uses silver coins, just report it to the logistics office of the Dingwu Army and they will help you solve it;
The psychological quality of the soldiers must also be strengthened. People at the regimental staff level must not sit idle and instructors must be sent to units at the platoon level. Whatever needs the soldiers have, whether in life or in the army, must not be underestimated and must be treated with a lot of kindness. They talk;
The last time the Third Division was stationed in Japan for a long time, some soldiers were mentally distorted because of homesickness, which led to the camp roar incident. I have determined that the military laws of the armed forces are strict. Although I allow you to move freely outside of war, you must also abide by them. Military law is followed, and the instructor's job is to unblock the soldiers' psychology. Therefore, I ordered the battalion commander of the third division to be shot when the camp roar occurred. The deputy battalion commander went to a military court and was sentenced to twelve years. Do you think they were unjust? "
Yan Chun had heard about this incident. At that time, the regiment staff came back and talked about it, and he preached it to the regiment: "I understand that I understand that I must let the instructor pay attention. If the staff cannot do it, I should do it." , it must not put a psychological burden on the soldiers."
