Household Department.
Huang Zicheng looked at the account book, his expression became particularly solemn, and he said to Zhuo Jing and Xia Yuanji who came over: "Have you read it? In a short period of time, the Royal Central Bank has sucked in 2.8 million taels of silver. The released copper coins still have an additional balance of 1.2 million taels. If the initial reserves are added, there will be at least more than 2 million taels of silver coins in the bank."
More than two million taels is a huge wealth.
Zhuo Jing nodded and said: "The Royal Central Bank carries the royal brand, and its reputation among the people is unmatched. The originally cautious people also became enthusiastic about saving money. The emperor established the Central Bank with the help of measures to stabilize silver and copper. The prestige and credibility of the bank are trusted by the people, which is the basis for the bank’s growth.”
Xia Yuanji walked to the radiator to warm his cold hands and said: "Xiaguan has studied the operation of the bank. It absorbs savings and pays interest. It seems to be a loss, but the bank is on the road of lending. If a businessman borrows money from the bank, one year After the principal is repaid on time, only 10% interest will be paid.”
"How much interest?"
Huang Zicheng suddenly stood up and asked in surprise.
"Ten percent means one thousand years of interest."
Xia Yuanji replied calmly.
Huang Zicheng took a deep breath and said, "If this is the case, then we can expect a great business boom!"
Lending has been around since ancient times, and lending interest rates have naturally come with it.
More than 3,000 years ago, the Western Zhou Dynasty officially implemented a differentiated credit system. If people bought goods on credit, they would agree on a payment date, and 5% interest would be paid if the payment was overdue. If a businessman borrows money to do business, he will charge 25% interest.
"Book of Rites of Zhou" records: "People who lend money can earn up to twenty-five percent interest."
From the perspective of loan interest, it can also be seen that the emphasis on agriculture and the suppression of business are evident.
The Han Dynasty provided legal regulations on borrowing interest rates. It is recorded in the "Book of Han Huozhi Zhuan": "Farmers, industrialists, and merchants can usually borrow two thousand copper coins every year." That is, if you borrow 10,000 copper coins for one year, the interest is two thousand copper coins.
Only during the Wang Mang period between the Han Dynasty and the Han Dynasty, the official revised the lending interest rate. Wang Mang set the monthly interest rate at 3%, which seemed low, but converted into an annual interest rate, it was as high as 36%.
Later in the Tang and Song dynasties, no matter who came to power, the official lending interest rate generally followed the Han system, which was the standard of 20%. In the Xining Reform in the Northern Song Dynasty, the Green Crop Law stipulated that the interest of the common people borrowing young crop money from the government, "if it is two cents (interest), it is also normal and fair."
Yawenba
This is only official. As for private lending, the lending interest rates are even more astonishing. For example, in the early Northern Song Dynasty, the interest rate on money lent by the rich to the common people was as high as 100%, which was a direct somersault.
During the Duangong period of Emperor Taizong of the Song Dynasty, the imperial court issued an order: "If you take wealth from grain and wheat to enrich the people, your income should not be more than doubled."
This decree was promulgated to curb the somersault loan sharking at that time. If this phenomenon were not very common and had a bad impact, I am afraid it would not have attracted the court to take action.
In the Yuan Dynasty, brokerage merchants were even more keen on lending money at usury.
The Ao Tuo merchants, that is, the government merchants in Mongolia and the Yuan Dynasty who were engaged in loan sharking business, even gave the loan interest an appropriate nickname: "Lamb's Interest", which was very painful.
"Historical Records of the Yuan Dynasty: The Benji of Taizong" records: "In the early days of the country, officials and people loaned Uighur gold, which doubled the age."
One hundred percent interest rate!
These are government businessmen with official backgrounds. The interest rates for wealthy businessmen and gentry without official backgrounds are as high as you can imagine.
Profit in the Ming Dynasty
The interest rate is not low either, with "monthly interest exceeding 2%" and annual interest rate reaching over 24%.
But what surprised Huang Zicheng was that the Royal Central Bank controlled by Zhu Yunwen actually set an annual interest rate of 10%, which was so low that it was "shocking".
Never in any dynasty have we seen such low lending rates.
According to this standard, those businessmen who originally need to borrow money will give up borrowing from monasteries, Taoist temples, wealthy households, and private banks, and turn to the Royal Central Bank.
And excessively low borrowing costs will promote business prosperity. Once the operational balance of storage and lending is established, the central bank will become a huge gold-eating beast.
"Compared to big businesses, I am more worried about the central banks themselves."
Xia Yuanji said seriously.
When the central bank grows to a certain extent, it will surely be connected to tens of millions of people. If it is not managed well or there is a problem with the funds, the bank will collapse and the foundation of the country will be shaken.
This is an issue that must be considered.
Huang Zicheng swallowed and said, "Although the Royal Central Bank is still a sapling at the moment, it is backed by the royal prestige and will affect the entire Ming Dynasty sooner or later. We cannot allow the Central Bank to be controlled by the royal family and should incorporate it into the household Department to exercise jurisdiction and restraint."
Zhuo Jing said bitterly: "The Emperor founded the Central Bank, I'm afraid he won't let it go to the Ministry of Revenue easily."
Huang Zicheng sighed, knowing that this matter was difficult.
"We can take a step back and stay out of the operation of the central bank, but the Ministry of Revenue should provide supervision. We cannot allow the disorderly expansion of the central bank and let officials from the Ministry of Revenue supervise and inspect it. The emperor should agree."
Xia Yuanji thought for a moment and said slowly.
Huang Zicheng's eyes brightened slightly, and he said to Xia Yuanji: "This is a good idea. Since you are here, have you come to the conclusion of the Baochao application?"
Wuying Palace.
Zhu Yunwen looked at the new version of the Ming Dynasty treasure banknotes that Xia Yuanji took out, and ordered to summon officials from the cabinet and the six ministries to discuss it.
Zheng Ci, Ru Yu and others looked at the delicate banknotes in their palms, looked at them over and over, and secretly communicated with each other, all with a bit of a smile.
Chen Di took a piece of banknote and said to Zhu Yunwen: "Your Majesty, the new version of the banknote is smaller and easier to carry. But will the people think that the banknote is small and distrustful, making it difficult to implement it?"
Zhu Yunwen looked at Huang Zicheng with a smile.
Huang Zicheng replied to Chen Di: "Mr. Chen, you don't have to worry. The high price and low price of banknotes are all based on the quality of the characters, not the size. In terms of implementation, as long as the court is determined and the merchants cooperate, the people will definitely use it." .”
Zheng Ci came out and asked: "In the past, the banknotes were large, contained a lot of information, and had complicated patterns, which were good for preventing counterfeiting. Now that the new banknotes have become smaller, is it possible to forge the banknotes? If someone among the people forges it, can they identify it?"
Xia Yuanji replied confidently: "It is not easy to counterfeit new-style banknotes. First of all, this new-style banknote is made of special paper, that is, mulberry paper. Mulberry paper is controlled by the imperial court and is rare among the people. In terms of ingredients, it is prepared Special paper pulp was used, and during the preparation process, new color combinations were used, not only incorporating rose red and crabapple red, but also pine flower green, changing the traditional blue-grey."
"The material and color alone make it extremely difficult for the outside world to imitate. My lords, look at the words and patterns on this banknote. They are made by the best craftsmen and carved with the most exquisite techniques. They are extremely complicated. Even Tai Tai The hair in the portrait of the ancestor is all
It is not easy for folk craftsmen to achieve the effect of separating the roots. "
"Furthermore, the front and back of the banknotes are stamped with official seals. The front is the seal of the Ming Dynasty treasure banknote, and the reverse is the seal of the Royal Central Bank and the seal of the treasure banker. There are also secret marks in the seal. And the official seal ink pad is not The ordinary cinnabar is used, but a special lead-containing ink pad is used. It is also marked with a special number to prevent counterfeiting."
After hearing Xia Yuanji's introduction, Zheng Ci said with a smile: "This is certainly feasible. However, your Majesty, I suggest that when promoting the new treasure banknotes, the laws of the Hongwu period should be added, such as 'Forgers will be killed, and those caught and prosecuted will be rewarded with two silver coins. One hundred and five hundred taels shall still be given to the prisoner's property, etc."
Zhu Yunwen nodded slightly and said: "Let the Ministry of Accounts decide this point. The new version of the banknotes is bright in color, well-made, and more resistant to wrinkles. If you have no objection, we will order the Banknote Lifting Department to print a large number of them for preparation. , waiting for the spring of next year to be released to the world."
After the minister agreed, he retreated to arrange relevant matters.
Kunning Palace.
Ma Enhui helped Zhu Yunwen take off his coat and asked: "Why did the emperor let those hateful businessmen go? If it weren't for them, how could the bank affairs be so troubled?"
Zhu Yunwen looked at the stingy Ma Enhui and said with a smile: "I don't want to let them go, but the bank has returned to the right track and folk copper coins have begun to become abundant again. If these businessmen are allowed to hoard so many copper coins in the capital, it won't take long. Copper coins will depreciate, and by then one tael of silver may be exchanged for eleven hundred copper coins. The money bank has released water, but the pond in the capital has not become larger and cannot accommodate it."
"Besides, the capital is not the only place facing a copper shortage. Suzhou, Hangzhou, Peiping, Kaifeng and other important commercial areas all have varying degrees of copper shortages. Merchants in the capital hoard a large amount of copper coins, which must be exchanged for silver in the capital. There will be a lot of losses, but if they transport it to Suzhou, Hangzhou and Peking, they can reduce a lot of losses, and the inflow of their copper coins will also stabilize the local silver and copper."
Ma Enhui didn't expect that Zhu Yunwen's plan was so thorough. After thinking about it, he said, "We only suppressed the silver and copper supply in the capital, but indirectly also solved the copper shortage in other places? However, if businessmen take this as an opportunity to deposit money in the capital, If the silver is exchanged for copper coins and then transported to other places, using copper coins as goods, wouldn't it be dangerous for banks..."
Zhu Yunwen said with a smile: "The central bank cannot just stay in the capital. I have arranged for the Imperial College and the Three Kings to recruit abacus and bank talents. In one month, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Peiping, Guangzhou, Jinan, Kaifeng and other places will open royal banks." Central Bank.”
Ma Enhui asked the maid to arrange dinner. Seeing that Zhu Yunwen was in a good mood, she said carefully: "Your Majesty, this afternoon, the wife of the former Zheng Guogong Chang Mao came into the palace and had some words with my concubine."
Zhu Yunwen frowned slightly, loosened the chopsticks holding the vegetables, and asked: "Mrs. Feng is asking about King Zhou. Does she want to intercede for King Zhou, or does she want to save her sister?"
Seeing that Zhu Yunwen was a little angry, Ma Enhui quickly explained: "She knew how to advance and retreat. She didn't talk about King Zhou and Princess Zhou. She just talked about it normally. But she didn't look good. The Feng family was ruined and Chang Mao had no descendants. Man, she is just a lonely widow now, a little miserable."
Zhu Yunwen put down his chopsticks, stirred the soup with a spoon, and sighed: "How to deal with King Zhou is not decided by me, but by him. If anyone wants to preserve their love, they should first pray that King Zhou has not done it. Forgive the evil deeds."
