Changle Palace.
The commotion on the grassland and the shocking changes thousands of miles away seem to never reach here. This is the political center of Zhuxia, attracting everyone's attention all the time.
Liu Ying sat upright and listened carefully beside Luo Xin. Luo Xin almost took Liu Ying hand in hand to handle government affairs, "Your Majesty, you don't have to be proficient in everything, as long as you can judge one thing It’s okay if something isn’t right.
I will definitely leave before you.
I am afraid that my third and fifth brothers will not be able to assist you for a long time. You must mature as soon as possible. "
Liu Ying heard this and said seriously: "Xiangfu, I will learn from you. The peaceful world created by my mother and you will be maintained."
Luo Xin smiled and said: "Your Majesty, you are a kind monarch. Emperor Gao and Queen Gao have paved the way for you in the world. Now we need a monarch like you who is willing to rest and recuperate. What we are most afraid of is a monarch who loves great achievements. You will be A generation of holy kings."
Liu Ying was very happy to receive Luo Xin's praise. She picked up a letter and unfolded it. She frowned slightly and asked curiously: "Father, Ying has always had a question. Since the Bangzhou era, , all countries do not allow private coinage, but why do we Han people allow private coinage?
Many ministers said that allowing private coinage will only benefit the powerful and is detrimental to the country and the court. However, Ying knew that you personally decided this matter at the beginning, and you could not have done anything wrong. But Ying Bai was puzzled. Please also help Ying clear up any doubts. "
Luo Xin was best at playing with money, and allowing private coinage was a major move of his. When Liu Ying asked about it, he smiled and said, "Your Majesty, this is a very complicated issue. Rong Chen will explain it to you in detail.
First of all, if the imperial court wants to take back the right to mint coins, but the princes and kings do not agree, what should we do? "
Liu Ying mused: "I'm afraid the only option is to fight.
You said that when it comes to matters related to unification, the imperial court must not bow its head and compromise. It must fight to the end, only you and me. "
Luo Xin said in a deep voice: "Yes, but do you think the world today can still experience a war that stretches across the entire world?
cannot!
This is why Chen and Empress Gao have turned a blind eye to many illegal behaviors of the princes and kings for so many years.
General Han Zimu supports the imperial court. We can win the war, but what happens after we win?
What is lost is the whole world, and what is lost is the whole Zhuxia.
The general led the army to severely injure the Huns, and the eldest brother went to the grassland again. Only then did the Han court feel stable, and the people only lived a good life without war for a few days.
If war breaks out at this time, the world's newly accumulated wealth and restored economy will be completely lost.
The Xiongnu Chanyu would probably laugh out loud.
This kind of stupid thing that makes enemies happy and relatives hurt is absolutely unacceptable. "
Liu Ying is a truly benevolent king. He didn't want to fight in the first place. After hearing this, he asked: "You are right, but Ying knows that you will not stop doing it just because of this."
Luo Xin was stunned and then replied: "Your Majesty, you understand me. Indeed, although I do not want to let the world fall into war, I will not be afraid of necessary war.
In fact, it is beneficial to let the princes and kings mint coins now.
Let’s talk about the benefits to the court first. Although minting coins is very profitable, it also consumes a lot of manpower and material resources. Most of the world is in the hands of princes and kings. Our population is not large. If these people are used to mint If we don’t use money to grow food, our strength will weaken.
Remember, no matter how much money you have, it is all fake and empty. In this world, agriculture is the basis, and only food, bows, crossbows and armor are the real strength of the court.
As long as we have food and armor, no matter how much money the princes, kings and powerful people in the world make, it all belongs to the imperial court. If the powerful people moved to Shandong to guard the tombs of Emperor Gao and Queen Gao, no matter how much money they have, they can only bring it to Guanzhong, and then The heroes had their bones and marrow sucked out, and their money ended up flowing into the national treasury. "
Liu Ying was completely shocked. He never expected that there was such a method, especially what Luo Xin said, if you have food and armor, you can steal money, which made him dumbfounded.
It turns out you are such a kind father!
Then he was deeply moved, because he knew that doing this was of no benefit to Luo Xin himself, and was purely for the sake of the court and him.
Liu Ying said softly: "Father, I understand what you said. This is good for the court, but you are a person who cares about the world. I guess this method is also good for the world, right?"
Luo Xin laughed loudly and said: "Exactly.
You see, this is a roll of bamboo slips, which sells for one penny in the market, and the people also think it is worth a penny, so this transaction can be concluded.
But if there is no increase in money on the market, but there are more bamboo slips, then one penny can buy more bamboo slips. What will happen among the people? "
Liu Ying suddenly realized: "People will not spend money anymore, because a penny is becoming more and more valuable.
This is also the reason why people say that low grain prices hurt farmers.
Ying understands, as you said, money is money when it flows. If you save all the money and don't use it, it will do great harm to the big man.
So you let the private sector mint coins and make more and more private money?
But if you have too much money, won’t it become worthless?
If this roll of bamboo slips requires two pennies to afford, then the money in the hands of the common people will be less, while the powerful and princes can mint coins at will, but have more and more money, which is also harmful to the world. ah. "
Luo Xin reached out and took out two copper coins and two bamboo slips, and then said: "Your Majesty, the situation you mentioned will definitely happen in the future.
But not now.
Because now everything in the world is waiting for prosperity, the food in the world is increasing year by year, and there are more and more various kinds of cloth, silk and other commodities, just like the number of bamboo slips in the hand is constantly increasing.
Judging from the current speed of recovery, within thirty years, the world will only be short of money and will not be dissatisfied with having more money. They will need more coins.
If one day there are really too many coins and no more money is needed, it will mean that the world has recovered and can withstand a long war. "
Luo Xin's last sentence was very plain, but it contained a deep meaning and could withstand a long war. That was when the imperial court took back the right to mint coins.
Liu Ying nodded and asked: "Xiangfu, I heard that some people are casting poor quality money now. What should I do about this?"
Of course, poor quality copper coins entering the market will cause great damage and are another form of wealth plunder. Especially when private individuals are allowed to mint currency, poor money must be minted.
Luo Xindao: "Your Majesty, have you ever thought about the reason why bad money can be circulated around the world and the people have to use it?"
Liu Ying thought for a while, shook her head, and looked at Luo Xin doubtfully, only to see Luo Xin say firmly: "The reason why this is so is because of the coercion of the imperial court, which forces the people to collect bad money and forces them not to be able to distinguish between money. Good or bad, otherwise the government will arrest them.
The reason for this is that in the past, the coins were minted by the royal families of various countries themselves, and the money shortages were also made by the royal courts of various countries themselves. This was done intentionally by the royal courts.
The common people's eyesight is sharp when they find fault, but the power of the court makes them blindfolded and gritted their teeth to accept it, because if they get the difference, they can at least spend it. If they don't, they will go directly to jail. "
Liu Ying broke into a cold sweat after hearing this, and quickly asked: "Father, is my big man like this too?
The people of the world are so innocent. You said that it is already very difficult for them just to live. If the court wants to add a huge burden to them, isn't this what the Qin Dynasty did?
In the past, the Qin Dynasty suppressed the six kingdoms and had elite soldiers. However, it lost the support of the people and the country collapsed at the call of a hero. If the Han Dynasty followed in the footsteps of the Qin Dynasty, would the outcome be different from that of the Qin Dynasty?
I don’t think so, Xiangfu, please teach me. "
Luo Xin comforted Liu Ying and said: "Your Majesty, don't worry. If the heaven and earth collapse, the mountains and rivers stop flowing, and the earth dragon turns over, there is really nothing I can do about such a natural disaster.
But man-made disasters can always be solved.
In fact, it is very simple to solve the problem of money shortage. Since the court no longer has the exclusive power to mint coins, there is no need to waste the reputation and power of the court to protect the coins of princes, kings and powerful people.
As long as you issue an edict to the world, allowing people to freely choose coins to collect, and allowing people to reject poor money in transactions, those poor quality poor money will be rejected by the people, and they will soon find that the poor money in their hands is completely If it is smashed into the hand, no one will take it, and it will not be spent.
And they did not dare to speak out, because the court did not allow the casting of poor money. Their only option was to melt away the poor money and increase the copper content in the coins.
As long as this is the case, good money will naturally drive out bad money.
The money you can earn from minting good coins is far less than that of bad coins, so that the burden of the people of the world will be easier. During these years of recuperation, private coinage and permission to refuse poor coins can be implemented at the same time, so that they can spend their time smoothly. these years.
When the world recovers its vitality, the power of private coinage will be abolished and returned to the imperial court. As for the policy of allowing and rejecting differential coins, it depends on whether you are willing at that time. "
Are you willing?
When just by minting money, you can collect a little wealth that the people of the world have worked hard to accumulate, and you can enrich the national treasury, how many emperors can resist this temptation?
Liu Ying didn't think too much and said directly: "My dear father, please draft an edict immediately. Things will change later. The money has just begun to circulate. I'm afraid it's best to issue an edict now."
Luo Xin nodded with satisfaction. Liu Ying was a truly benevolent king, and his care for the people of the world came from the bottom of his heart. At least during his tenure, he no longer needed to worry about this matter.
————
When any dynasty prospers, its financial system must be harmonious. When any dynasty declines, financial problems must be the biggest reason.
The prosperity of the Han Empire in the early days was due to its flexible financial system. Among them, the most critical role was played by Luo Xin, Marquis of Dong'a. He was nominally the prime minister, but in fact, except that he had no inheritance rights, the total The title of Emperor of Administration better highlights his status.
He adjusted the financial policy of the Han Dynasty three times, and was able to formulate policies based on actual conditions with ease. He was one of the greatest contributors to the early prosperity of the Han Empire. ——"Global History·Classical Empire"
(End of chapter)
