Watermark is the main means of anti-counterfeiting. It is a pattern that appears on the paper through the transmission of light.
The implementation principle of this thing is not difficult to understand. You can imagine the watermark roller as a rolling pin with an engraved pattern. When the rolling pin runs over the money, the recessed part of the pattern does not come into contact with the money, and the density of the paper does not change. There will be no change, but the protruding part of the pattern will come into contact with the money. The force will increase the density of the paper and reduce its light transmittance, thus showing the watermark.
It’s easy to know the principle, but not easy to implement.
Both the Yuan Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty used mulberry paper for banknotes, while the red grandfathers of later generations used cotton paper. Although the Ming Dynasty planted a lot of cotton, no one used it to make paper.
Although mulberry paper is good, it still needs to be explored whether it can produce the clattering sound of tissue paper, whether it can fully reflect the color of paint, and whether it can produce watermarks.
It takes time to explore, which Lao Zhu should give. What he is anxious about is the first edition, the final draft, the determination of the rules and the constraints of the operation. It is not necessary to directly push out the treasure money in a short time.
As far as the current treasure banknote collection department is concerned, it is impossible to print a large number of treasure banknotes. The reserves of mulberry paper are simply not enough. It will take less than half a year to produce a large number of treasure banknotes.
Everything at the moment is just preparation work.
In terms of carving arrangement, Gu Zhengchen really couldn't choose which one was better. The skills of Song Shi, Yu Qiu, Zhu Xijia, Lin Shouning and Ding Zhong were equally high.
After discussing with Fei Zhen, it was decided that each master should carve one master plate.
Fei Zhen didn't know what means Gu Zhengchen used to get one hundred and fifty taels of silver from the Ministry of Household Affairs. Gu Zhengchen did not break his promise and fulfilled his promise.
Magnifying glasses, engraving knives of different sizes, customized copper plates, and treasure banknotes with countless details.
Skilled craftsmen.
Gu Zhengchen went to Liulichang twice more. The number of magnifying glasses had caught up, and a few more were sent to the Imperial Palace and the East Palace.
Considering that the engraving master does not allow any mistakes and must be exactly the same as the designed sample, Gu Zhengchen racked his brains and finally introduced the grid method.
The grid method is to completely grid the designed banknote sample, using a vertical and horizontal grid method, so that each area corresponds to its own information, and then use a pencil to leave a grid of the same size on the copper plate to network Using the grid as a reference reduces detail errors and reduces the difficulty of carving.
The engraving of the master plate has nothing to do with Gu Zhengchen. It can be done step by step by the master craftsman.
Yan Xizhe, the Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, sent Fei Zhen and Gu Zhengchen straight to the point: "His Majesty's decree is that the treasure banknotes should be equivalent to one thousand copper coins and one tael of silver. The Quanzhou County man made a suggestion and asked for the establishment of a bank, and gold and silver transactions were not allowed. The Ministry of Revenue was worried. , if the ban is not enforced, it will be difficult for treasure notes to pass through the world."
Gu Zhengchen explained seriously: "If gold and silver transactions are banned and treasure banknotes are fully implemented, it will not be conducive to the circulation of treasure banknotes all over the world. The treasure banknote promotion department has explained this matter more than once. Banks are set up in various places, whether gold and silver are exchanged for treasure banknotes, Whether it is exchanging treasure banknotes for gold or silver, both people and businesses are allowed to do so voluntarily."
Yan Xizhe's face darkened: "The people and businessmen are willing. When and what year can the treasure banknote be used as a home for the people and businessmen?"
Gu Zhengchen didn't look at Yan Xizhe's face and asked: "The appearance of Jiaozi itself shows the convenience of the treasure banknotes. As long as the Ming Dynasty treasure banknotes can stand firm, the good coins that are convenient for the people will naturally drive out the bad coins that are inconvenient for the people. In addition, the court can In commercial taxes, treasure banknotes are always used as the standard, and even official salaries can be changed to treasure banknotes. As long as the government uses it, businessmen will definitely follow up, and businessmen will follow up, and the people will also take notice..."
Yan Xizhe stared at Gu Zhengchen: "Are you going to let officials take risks?"
Gu Zhengchen said seriously: "How can you call it a risk? Could it be that the Ministry of Finance is not optimistic about the treasure banknotes? If so, why does the Ministry of Finance dare to launch the treasure banknotes?"
Yan Xizhe gritted his teeth.
The Ministry of Household Affairs issued treasure banknotes, which was requested by the emperor.
Besides, if the treasure currency depreciates, do you plan to trick the officials first? It doesn't matter if a few people are tricked to death. We are the people of the imperial court and work for the imperial court. If we are tricked to death, how will we live our lives?
In the late Yuan Dynasty, the treasure banknotes became useless paper. You, Gu Zhengchen, plan to prevent all our officials from receiving food and all receive this piece of paper? What if one day it becomes useless paper, and a pile of paper cannot even be exchanged for a stone of food, will the whole family still survive?
The government went first, it’s a shame you can think of it!
I would rather carry food every month than receive a salary of precious money!
Gu Zhengchen still underestimated Yan Xizhe's energy, and also underestimated the energy of Zhongshu Province. He just proposed the idea of government taking the lead and converting grain into cash, but the officials counterattacked.
A simple idea with serious consequences.
Unfortunately, a craftsman of the treasure banknote lifting department suddenly died of illness in the lifting department compound, and this became the trigger.
The first person to write a letter of impeachment against Gu Zhengchen was Yan Dui, the supervisory censor. The opening line was about the murderous knife:
Yan Bu, the supervisor of the imperial censor, reported that Gu Zhengchen, the deputy director of the treasure bank promotion department, was in charge of the treasure bank affairs. He abused his power, oppressed the craftsmen, and treated the people as slaves. This crime cannot be forgiven! I heard that the craftsmen of the treasure bank lifting department worked day and night without any rest. They could not close their eyes during the day and could not sleep at night. They were beaten repeatedly with whips at their sides and the sounds of wailing were inhumane...
Gu Zhengchen was speechless. The craftsman clearly had heart disease or other diseases. How could he blame him?
Who said he whipped the craftsman? Who made this up? I used a whip to go in and out of the treasure house to raise money. That was because I rode a horse. What should I bring without a whip?
Gu Zhengchen did not defend himself, but Fei Zhen was the first to write a letter stating that the craftsmen in the Baochao Lifting Department were good and there was no whipping, nor was there any such thing as enslaving the craftsmen and not treating them as human beings.
On this matter, Fei Zhen still stood his ground.
It's just that Fei Zhen mistakenly underestimated the power of this counterattack. Even Gu Zhengchen didn't expect that this incident would turn into the biggest crisis since he entered officialdom!
A craftsman who had beaten up the treasure banknotes went to the Yushitai to sue Gu Zhengchen. He burst into tears and accused Gu Zhengchen of beating him and taking off his clothes. The horrific injuries were shocking.
Censor Liang Lai then wrote a letter, impeaching Gu Zhengchen for being a man with a human face and a beastly heart. He drove craftsmen like animals and was not worthy of being a local official or a deputy promotion...
These two supervisory censors had a direct grudge against Gu Zhengchen. After all, Gu Zhengchen had his teeth knocked out, so he had a lot of saliva in his mouth. If he found the opportunity, he would definitely spit at Gu Zhengchen.
When the situation developed to this point, Zhu Yuanzhang didn't care who Gu Zhengchen was and what he did in the Baochao Tiju Department. Fei Zhen made it very clear. Even the master craftsmen who were in charge of the ceremony said good things about Gu Zhengchen.
Besides, I have never heard of him beating or whipping anyone maliciously. On the contrary, he even received some whips for a few sergeants in Jurong Guard.
It is impossible for such a person to mistreat and criticize craftsmen.
But Zhu Yuanzhang's ignorance could not stop the officials from talking.
Xiao Ren, the head of the Ministry of Personnel, openly stood up and impeached Gu Zhengchen at the court meeting. He said that all wealth in the world has a certain amount, but Jurong is the only county that uses wealth to support officials, disperses wealth to support the people, and uses wealth to promote education. Its use is treacherous. The method of testing is to seize the ill-gotten wealth, gather it in Jurong, and scatter it in Jurong. It only makes one place rich, and the loss is given to the whole world.
It was even revealed that Gu Zhengchen accepted money from Buddhism and Taoism and colluded with Buddhism and Taoism. He bluntly said that Gu Zhengchen was corrupt!
If corruption is involved, the Ministry of Punishment will have to take action.
Li Guan, a doctor in the Ministry of Punishment, stood up and wrote a letter asking for a strict investigation of Gu Zhengchen. He wrote this sentence in the document: "Gu Zhengchen served as Ren Jurong and handled major cases, and his achievements were obvious. But Weichen heard that the former county prime minister Liu Boqin was convicted of a crime. And even though he is dead, Gu Zhengchen seizes his daughter Liu Qian'er as a domestic slave, hiding her beauty in a golden house. How can the daughter of a guilty minister serve an honest minister? If she is not eliminated, the etiquette system will collapse!"
Liu Qian'er!
This inconspicuous woman finally became the knife that stabbed Gu Zhengchen.
Gu Zhengchen knew everything about the happenings in the court, Fei Zhen, Mu Ying, and even his father-in-law Zhang He heard the news and couldn't help but worry.
Regarding Liu Qian'er, Gu Zhengchen had a clear conscience, but he couldn't resist people's disgusting speculations. Even if Mu Ying refuted it face to face, he would be blocked by one sentence:
In the dark of night, how do you know the interesting things going on in his boudoir?
Li Guan's impeachment may seem inconspicuous, but it hits a crucial point.
The daughter of a guilty minister could not become an official's inner chamber, not even a concubine.
In Zhu Yuanzhang's view, the daughter of a guilty minister is a bitch and cannot be married to an official. If you marry and sleep with someone, you are willing to degenerate and be humbled. Not only do you break the rules and official etiquette, but you are also shameless, and you will be disabled even if you are not dead.
However, Li Guan chose the wrong person.
Zhu Yuanzhang knew who Liu Qian'er was, and Gu Zhengchen reported it without any concealment. What's more, after Gu Zhengchen got married, he took Zhang Xiwan to Jurong, but did not take Liu Qian'er with him. On the contrary, Liu Qian'er stayed in Jinling to do business. Gu's mother Treat her like a daughter.
The knife stabbed out and met Lao Zhu's shield.
Li Guan missed a single hit.
Wang Zhongli, the minister of the Ministry of Punishment, stood up and impeached Gu Zhengchen for corruption. He accepted money from Buddhism and Taoism, secretly divided the county government treasury money, and was an official but engaged in business for profit. He did not know how much his family property was. He should be investigated strictly to set the record straight.
When things like corruption arise, you won't be able to get away unless you investigate and get to the bottom of things. An honest official like Fei Zhen, a local magistrate, just because he helped write an epitaph for someone, the money didn't go to his own family, so he just bought rice and gave it to the poor. In Zhijia, such an official was even caught in Jinling and investigated for two months.
Now Gu Zhengchen may be corrupt, and the amount is not small no matter how much it is. The culprit of this kind of corruption must be arrested and interrogated for half a year, and once he is found out, he can be pushed out and skinned.
The momentum grew louder and louder, with the Yushitai running and shouting in front, the Ministry of Justice echoing from behind, and the Ministry of Husbandry secretly supporting him in the middle. In Zhongshu Province, Hu Weiyong was as calm as a mountain, but the smile hanging on the corner of his mouth was too obvious, and his eyes were There was a cunning look in his eyes.
Gu Zhengchen, you have exposed your flaws and want to influence the interests of officials. I'm sorry, you will die here.
