Frugality will lead to decline, but luxury will lead to the prosperity of Ming Dynasty?
Hearing this view, everyone present was stunned.
Frugality is a virtue in an era when Confucianism is deeply rooted in the bones.
From the people down to the emperor, they all advocate diligence and frugality.
For example, Emperor Wen of Han was famous for his frugality.
During the 23 years of the emperor's reign, there were no more chariots, horses, uniforms, and royalties.
Many edicts were issued to prohibit counties and states from donating rare and precious treasures. He usually wears clothes made of rough black silk. Emperor Wen also requested simplicity in the tomb he built for himself.
During the 17 years of Song Gaozu Zhao Kuangyin's reign, he was diligent in starting a business, advocating frugality, and taking simple food. Her daughter, Princess Wei, likes to dress up and often wears gorgeous clothes with embroidery and emerald green to go in and out of the palace.
Zhao Kuangyin reprimanded her and said: "Hurry up and give me the clothes from today on. You are not allowed to wear this kind of clothes in the future, because it is luxurious and dazzling and will attract many people to imitate!"
Even today's sage Zhu Yuanzhang takes the lead in frugality, practices it personally, and educates people:
"The so-called thrifty people don't take the lead, so how can they take the lead?"
He saw an official dressed luxuriously and asked how much it cost.
The official replied: "Five hundred strings."
So he scolded: "Five hundred guan is the annual income of a farmer's family of several people. It is only enough for you to make a piece of clothing. It is so extravagant that it is a waste of people's property!"
The emperor advocates frugality and believes that resources should not be wasted, not to mention the ministers below?
However, Li Xiao's view is different from others.
Although the princes Zhu Gaoxu, Zhu Gaosui and others could not be as frugal as the emperor's grandfather.
But I also know this truth.
Zhu Gaoxu asked curiously: "Brother-in-law, are you saying that our extravagance and extravagant style can prosper the Ming Dynasty?"
After hearing this, everyone looked at Li Xiao to see how he would answer.
Li Xiao smiled and nodded: "Yes, frugality is not as good as consumption. Only consumption can promote economic development."
In Li Xiao's memory, the Ming Dynasty was poor, so poor!
It stands to reason that the economy should have developed since the Ming Dynasty was still after the Song Dynasty.
But throughout the Ming Dynasty, this dynasty was not wealthy.
In comparison, not to mention the Song Dynasty, not even the Tang Dynasty could compare.
During the reign of Song Zhenzong in the Northern Song Dynasty, the court's annual fiscal revenue was 160 million taels of silver.
During the Li Shimin period of the Tang Dynasty, the court's annual fiscal revenue was 34.0975 million taels of silver.
In the current Hongwu period, and even in the subsequent Wanli period, the fiscal revenue was only 20.802 million taels.
History is moving forward, but the economy is not. It is simply driving the economy backwards.
Li Xiao also thought of the most frugal emperor in history, Emperor Daoguang of the Qing Dynasty.
The emperor only ate four dishes a meal, sewed and mended his clothes, and even skipped his and the queen's annual birthday celebrations. However, the Daoguang period was even poorer than the Hongwu period.
What does it mean?
The emperor's frugality did not affect the economy.
Consumption can promote the economy, which is a truth that ordinary students in the future will understand.
"economic development?"
Another new word, Zhu Gaosui immediately recorded this key point in his mind.
Lu Zhen didn't believe it in his heart, but this was his savior, and he didn't bother to argue with him.
However, Zhu Gaoxu on the side became interested and asked: "Brother-in-law, why is it said that luxury can lead to prosperity? What is the truth behind this?"
Um.
Li Xiao thought for a while and smiled: "To answer this question, I have to ask you a question first."
Zhu Gaoxu said: "What's the problem?"
Li Xiaodao: "We must first understand what currency is and what money is!"
"What is money?"
Zhu Gaoxu smiled and said: "What kind of problem is this? Isn't money just money?"
Li Xiao took out a piece of silver, placed it on the table, and asked, "Then let me ask you, can this silver be eaten?"
Zhu Gaoxu shook his head.
Li Xiao asked again: "Besides buying things, is there any other use for this money?"
Zhu Gaoxu thought for a while, shook his head and said, "No, money can only be used to buy things."
Li Xiao asked: "Since silver can't be used for food, drink, and has no other uses, it can be used to buy things?"
Zhu Gaoxu said matter-of-factly: "This has been the case since ancient times. Why are there so many of them?"
As he spoke, Zhu Gaoxu suddenly reacted and frowned slightly: "Oh, that's not right. This money seems to have no use. Why can it buy things?"
Hearing this, others were a little confused.
"This is currency. Silver is currency, and copper coins are also currency. Their function can only be to measure the value of items."
Li Xiao explained: "In ancient times, there was no currency. Some people hunted, and some fished. Hunters only had meat, and fishermen only had fish. If hunters want to eat fish, and fishermen want to eat meat, what should they do?"
"Exchanging things for things." Zhu Gaoxu said.
"That's right." Li Xiao said with a smile: "It's not accurate enough to exchange items, and it's inconvenient because the items have different values. How to solve this problem?"
There were no books on economics in this era, but Zhu Ningyun dabbled a little and replied: "During the Shang Dynasty, 'shells' were used as money. These shells are currency, right?"
"That's right!"
Li Xiao nodded and said: "This is the origin of currency. The earliest currency is 'Bei', but Bei is too easy to be copied."
"As a result, people gradually developed and discovered a rare natural resource that, due to its rarity, was more suitable as currency: gold and silver."
"This is currency. It has no value at all, but its only value is to be used for circulation and to measure the price of commodities."
Everyone was stunned for a moment.
I don't understand what the mystery is.
And Li Xiao's next words made them begin to understand.
"Currency has no value, its value is for circulation."
"Then let me ask you, once a large amount of money and wealth are gathered in the hands of a few people, if this person does not spend the money, will the money generate value?"
Hearing this, Zhu Gaoxu slapped his thigh and said:
"Yes, we Ming Hui merchants and Shanxi merchants are very rich. I heard that the accumulated wealth of several generations is as high as tens of millions of taels of silver, which is more abundant than the imperial treasury. These people have so much money, how many times will they live? There will be no time to spend it all, all this money is of no use."
Zhu Ningyun nodded slowly and said: "In other words, money flows like water, flows into rivers, and flows down below, so that people can become rich. In other words, what you said is that luxury leads to prosperity? Right?"
Li Xiao clapped his hands and praised: "Sister Ling'er is so smart! That's it."
These days, Li Xiao often speaks amazing words, and Zhu Gaoxu and Zhu Ningyun are slowly able to keep up with Li Xiao's rhythm.
Lu Zhen on the side was extremely shocked when he heard it. It seemed that he could explain it this way. It seemed to make sense.
Li Xiao continued: "In terms of personal interests, frugality is definitely a good thing, because rich people can also spend money. Naturally, it is better to encourage children to be frugal and not to be too extravagant and wasteful."
"but."
"Luxury is a private sin and a public interest!"
"If you spend money privately, someone will definitely make money. This is a good thing!"
"If money doesn't circulate and rich people don't spend money, how can the people below make money from the rich?"
"For example."
Li Xiao pointed to the dishes on the table and said: "The dishes on this table cost two hundred taels of silver, of which the fresh ingredients cost fifty taels of silver. Of these fifty taels of silver, the merchant ship on the canal earned 20 taels of silver." For two taels of silver, the vendor who provided the ingredients earned twenty taels of silver, while the farmer earned ten taels of silver."
Li Xiao looked at Lu Zhen and asked, "We spent money, did everyone make money?"
Lu Zhen nodded: "It seems so!"
Li Xiaodao: "Let me ask you, if I am diligent and thrifty, and eat a meal of cabbage and rice, can the people earn this money?"
Lu Zhen took a breath of cold air, nodded like garlic and said:
"It is true that money without circulation is like a pool of stagnant water, but ordinary circulation does not cost much money. Rich people have more money than they can use up, and they spend extravagantly, so that the common people can earn more money! In this way, .”
Lu Zhen and Ji Gang looked at each other, obviously convinced by this reason.
"In this way, the people will become rich!"
Ji Gang said the next words.
"That's right!"
Li Xiao clapped his hands and said, "Doesn't this make sense?"
“Frugality decays, luxury thrives.”
"Luxury is a personal sin and a public good!"
"Wonderful, wonderful!"
Lu Zhen stood up directly, cupped his hands towards Li Xiao and said, "Young Master Xiao's ideas are really eye-opening! No wonder the Young Master is so rich and is so proficient in business."
"I don't dare to take it seriously. It's all just my own imagination." Li Xiao smiled and waved his hand.
Ji Gang was shocked and felt that he could report this matter to the Holy One, so he asked again: "Master Xiao, do you think that if wealthy businessmen are allowed to spend a lot of money, the people will definitely become rich?"
"This is for sure."
Li Xiao smiled and said: "From a micro perspective, someone who is diligent and frugal in running a household, reducing waste and increasing savings can often get rich. This is a personal benefit."
"But from a macro perspective, frugality is not good for economic growth."
"Public frugality will only lead to a decrease in total social consumption expenditures, a decrease in total social commodity sales, a reduction in businessmen's production scale, an increase in the unemployed population, a decrease in people's income, and a decrease in total social consumption expenditures. This is a vicious cycle!"
"Only by encouraging consumption can production be stimulated, the entire economic activity can be sustained and circulated, and Ming Dynasty will be more prosperous!"
After such an explanation, everyone almost understands the reason.
However, this kind of thinking is too advanced.
Although it sounds reasonable, it is still a bit doubtful.
"After Mr. Xiao said this, I feel that this meal is worth it."
Lu Zhen burst into laughter, picked up the wine glass and said, "Master Xiao, I'd like to give you a drink."
Li Xiao raised his glass and responded, thinking that it would be good for him in the future if these two people could get together.
"I'll go. I feel a little uncomfortable in my stomach. I'll go to the toilet first."
Zhu Gaosui planned to sneak away first and write down what he said just now, so as not to forget it.
"I feel a little uncomfortable in my stomach. Please eat slowly. Please forgive me for leaving for a while."
Ji Gang also stood up suddenly, and the two of them almost said it in unison.
In this way, in order to cover up his actions.
The two went to the toilet.
Enduring the stench, I started copying Li Xiao's Economic Theory in the toilet.
An hour later.
The big ship rides the wind and waves and is about to arrive at the deep-water dock in Texas.
"We're here, Texas is ahead."
"Let's rest in Texas and start again tomorrow."
After the group had had enough wine and food, Li Xiao saw the scene in Texas not far away.
Li Xiao looked at Lu Zhen and said, "I wonder where you two will disembark? Have a night's rest. We will continue to go south tomorrow. Do you need to continue to take us aboard?"
Lu Zhen was flattered and hurriedly held up his hands and said, "I will never forget Mr. Xiao's life-saving grace. How dare I ask for more? Ji Gang and I happen to have official business in Dezhou."
Li Xiao didn't ask why they fell into the water. He cupped his hands and said, "Then today, we will say goodbye in Texas."
Lu Zhen bowed and said, "Just say goodbye."
When the ship docked at the deep water pier, a group of people got off the ship.
After Li Xiao paid twenty taels of silver for the parking fee, the group was just about to enter the border of Dezhou.
At this time, several officials in official attire came over to collect taxes.
"Please pay the freight tax. For a cargo ship as big as yours, you need to pay one hundred taels of silver."
One of the fatter officials spoke, and the others blocked the way of Li Xiao and his party.
Li Xiao frowned and explained: "We only docked at odd hours and rested for one night without stopping. Moreover, this cargo ship has not transported goods. If you don't believe it, you can enter the ship for inspection."
The fat official yelled: "There is no need to inspect it. No matter whether there is cargo or not, once it enters Texas territory, as long as it is a cargo ship, it needs to pay freight tax."
Zhu Gaoxu was a little displeased when he heard this and said: "Fuck you, my ship has no cargo, why should I pay a freight tax of one hundred taels? Why don't you go and grab the money!"
"presumptuous!"
As soon as the words fell, these officials drew their swords one after another. "You dare to speak out against me and others. You really don't know how to live or die. Take it back to the Yamen!"
Just when Lu Zhen was about to say goodbye to everyone and leave, he stopped when he saw this scene.
However, he didn't say anything, but just waited and watched.
As for Zhu Gaoxu, Zhu Gaosui, and ten other guards, when they saw an official dare to draw a sword at them, they all pulled out their swords and glared at each other.
The fat official in charge saw the menace of this group and was not afraid at all. He was obviously not someone to be trifled with. He waved his hand to signal his men not to draw their swords yet.
Then, he looked at Li Xiao and said: "This is the rule of our Dezhou government. If you don't want to pay the freight tax, we won't force you, just leave by boat."
There are indeed many docks along the canal, but large cargo ships like Li Xiao can only dock at deep-water docks.
The next stop is the deep-water dock in Linqing, five hundred miles away.
The officials in Dezhou County, Dezhou Prefecture, collected taxes this way, clearly targeting such large-scale merchant ships carrying goods.
Li Xiao frowned slightly, looked at Zhu Gaoxu and said, "I really want to remember that the water transportation tax is not collected by the local yamen. It should be collected by the customs established by the water transportation yamen under the household department, right?"
As soon as he said this, Zhu Gaoxu also suddenly realized and said angrily: "Okay, you little Dezhou actually collected the water transportation tax on behalf of the Ministry of Household Affairs. You are stealing the court's tax money. How brave you are!"
The fat official laughed and said disdainfully: "Sir, your ears are hard to hear. Are we collecting water transport tax? What we just talked about is freight tax."
"Freight tax?" Zhu Gaoxu was stunned and asked with an eyebrow: "Which kind of freight tax has this tax?"
The fat official said: "This is Texas tax."
Zhu Gaoxu said angrily: "You Dezhou Prefecture are so courageous! You actually dare to use random excuses to collect exorbitant taxes. Come on, get it for me!"
"Hey! Who do you think you are?" The official didn't panic at all. They were protected by the duke.
Just as he was about to start, Li Xiao stopped Zhu Gaoxu and whispered: "Second brother, a strong dragon can't suppress a local snake. Forget it, just pay to eliminate the disaster."
"I can't bear to swallow this. How dare a clown act so arrogantly!"
Everyone knows Zhu Gaoxu's temper. As long as he doesn't cause trouble, there are still people yelling in front of him. How can this be tolerated?
"Gao Xu, don't be impulsive, listen to your brother-in-law." Zhu Ningyun whispered.
Hearing this, Zhu Gaoxu took a breath, held back his impulse, snorted and said nothing.
"We pay taxes, we pay taxes."
Li Xiao chuckled, took out a hundred taels of silver notes from his body and handed it over.
"Wouldn't it be fine if it had been like this?"
After receiving the money, the fat official immediately showed a smile and waved his hand, indicating that Li Xiao and others could leave.
"No evidence?" Li Xiao asked.
"No, let's go quickly, don't delay things."
The fat official said impatiently, and then walked towards another merchant ship.
Helpless, Li Xiao had no choice but to lead everyone towards the county town.
Seeing today's scene, Li Xiaoxin said, no wonder it was so difficult for businessmen in the Ming Dynasty.
Not to mention all kinds of exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes, there is also this kind of stumbling block that collects money indiscriminately. Without a background, it is impossible for the business to grow, and no matter how rich you are, you will have to lose money.
"unlucky!"
Zhu Gaoxu's face was full of displeasure. He suddenly thought of something. He looked at Lu Zhen over there and waved: "Um, Lu Zhen, aren't you a Shandong police officer? Correcting evil officials and punishing rapes, why are you doing this next to me just now?" Not even one?"
Lu Zhen walked over helplessly and whispered: "To be honest, I have long noticed that there are some problems in Texas. I came here to investigate some things. Unexpectedly, I was assassinated last night. Fortunately, my benefactors came to rescue me." ah."
"What?"
Everyone was stunned.
The water in Texas is really unfathomable. As soon as someone came to investigate the case, they were assassinated?
He is so vicious that he dares to assassinate an official of the imperial court!
"It's so arrogant."
Li Xiao was shocked. Fortunately, he didn't have a conflict with these people just now and chose to pay to avoid the disaster. Otherwise, he would have caused a lot of trouble.
They came out this time to travel, not to clean up gangs and eliminate evil, and they didn't bother to care about these things.
"Lord Lu, please be careful and don't leave here."
Li Xiao could only support Lu Zhen psychologically, and then led everyone to separate from Lu Zhen to avoid getting angry.
"Let's just say goodbye."
Lu Zhen also reluctantly held up his hands and led Ji Gang in another direction.
"I really don't know if I don't come out. There are still so many corrupt officials in Ming Dynasty."
Zhu Gaosui couldn't help but sigh: "This Dezhou used to be the fiefdom of Uncle Ten, no wonder it is like this."
"What's going on?" Zhu Gaoxu asked.
Zhu Gaosui whispered: "This is a secret, please don't spread it outside. The tenth uncle, King Zhu Tan of Lu, used to castrate a child to make alchemy pills in the fiefdom. The emperor's grandfather gave him a convict punishment."
In the 22nd year of Hongwu, Zhu Tan poisoned himself to death by taking the golden elixir.
Zhu Gaoxu was shocked: "Real or false?"
Zhu Gaosui said: "Absolute fidelity."
Zhu Gaoxu was startled: "Lao San, you are good at it. You can always find out so many secrets."
Zhu Gaosui: "Don't talk nonsense."
Li Xiao, who had sharp ears on the side, nodded: "Yeah, I won't talk nonsense."
Zhu Gaosui, Zhu Gaoxu: "."
"Okay, okay, let's find an inn to rest today, and then go to the market to buy some items and food. Let's leave Texas early tomorrow."
Li Xiao suggested, and then the group walked towards an inn.
The loser Li Xiongzhi immediately entered the inn, took care of everything, booked a guest room, and then went to the market with five personal guards to purchase supplies.
Li Xiao and others were just resting in the inn lobby, drinking some tea and planning to rest.
At this time, a man in civilian clothes walked over and sat down directly.
Li Xiao was a little confused. Who is this person?
Zhu Gaoxu knew who it was when he saw the man in cloth making slight gestures on his chest.
He whispered in Li Xiao's ear: "Brother-in-law, this is my father's secret agent. He is not home at night. I am one of my own. It is probably my father who has sent us a message."
Sure enough, the man handed Zhu Gaoxu a letter calmly, then turned around and left, without any verbal communication throughout the process.
It turned out to be a letter from Zhu Di. Zhu Di knew that Li Xiao and his party were traveling by water and passed through Dezhou, so he sent a letter to Zhu Ningyun specifically to visit a senior named Gu Cheng in Dezhou.
Zhu Di liked to sneak into the military camp since Zhu Yuanzhang's uprising.
It can be said that Zhu Di's fighting skills were mainly learned from Xu Da. Almost all the famous founding generals were his seniors and masters.
And veteran Gu Cheng is one of them.
Moreover, during this period, Yao Guangxiao measured the horizon and felt that something big was happening.
Zhu Di was specifically asked to win over the people in the imperial court.
So, Zhu Di wrote a letter to Zhu Ningyun, asking him to drop by to visit the old general Gu Cheng to build up feelings.
"Sister, this is a letter from my father to you."
Zhu Gaoxu opened the envelope, took a look, and handed it to Zhu Ningyun.
"Oh, it turns out that General Gu's mother is from Texas. She has been feeling unwell recently and came to Texas to visit relatives. She asked Li Xiao and I to go visit her together."
After Zhu Ningyun read the letter, she looked at Li Xiao and said.
Li Xiao nodded and said: "Okay, let's prepare some small gifts and go visit him later."
Gu Cheng and Li Xiao remember this very clearly.
In the Battle of Jingnan, Gu Cheng was defeated and surrendered to Zhu Di.
Later, Zhu Di went to King Ning to borrow troops, leaving Zhu Gaochi and Gu Cheng to guard Beiping.
Faced with the siege of Li Jinglong's 500,000-strong army, Peiping miraculously defended itself.
Everyone said that it was the crown prince Zhu Gaochi who took the credit, but in fact Li Xiao knew that this was indispensable for his success.
Gu Cheng was the deputy general of Changxing Marquis Geng Bingwen for more than ten years.
Who is Geng Bingwen?
He was the only veteran left by Zhu Yuanzhang to Zhu Yunwen.
In the Ming Dynasty, in terms of attack, generals such as Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, and Lan Yu each had their own merits.
But in terms of defense, Geng Bingwen is unique and unrivaled!
Zhu Yuanzhang left such a veteran to Zhu Yunwen to guard the country.
Gu Cheng, who had followed Geng Bingwen for decades, was definitely neglected because he had learned all the tactics used by Geng Bingwen to defend the city.
The fact that Peiping City was able to be defended must be attributable to Gu Cheng for more than half of it.
If Beiping City is lost, Zhu Di will definitely be defeated.
Such a great hero Li Xiao will definitely be treated well.
"Come on, let's go pick out a gift and visit."
at the same time.
Gu Cheng's mother's mansion, Gu Cheng was kneeling in front of his mother's bed and crying.
The old woman on the bed, like a candle before the wind, will die at any time.
"Mother, my child is unfilial. I have been fighting for many years and have not paid you proper respect."
"You old man, you must hold on."
"Come on, come on, get a doctor, get the best doctor!"
(End of chapter)
