During the Spring Festival of the eighteenth year of Chongzhen, the era name that did not originally exist in history continues to exist now.
Zhang Mingwei spent the New Year in the capital, and it was rare that he could put aside everything and relax for a few days.
However, there were too few entertainment programs in this era, and the Spring Festival was too boring, so he invented the entertainment program "Fighting Corrupt Officials".
To put it bluntly, this "fight against corrupt officials" is actually the "fight against landlords" in later generations, just with a different name.
It makes sense to say it. Look, three people are obviously playing cards together, but someone wants to steal three trump cards. This is not a corrupt official, right?
Then, he taught Zhu Ya'ao, Chen Yuanyuan and Fei Zhen'e. In short, the three of them played cards and one person waited on them, which was quite enjoyable.
Then when Zhu Aona entered the palace, she brought this entertainment activity of "fighting corrupt officials" into the palace again.
In this case, it would be extraordinary.
The women in the harem all had a lot of free time, and the three of them formed a game, and they all had a great time.
Later, the wife of the capital came into the palace to pay New Year's greetings to the queen and concubine, and the news spread out of the palace.
In short, even before the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, this entertainment activity of "fighting corrupt officials" suddenly became popular.
This Spring Festival in the capital is so different from the past.
Ordinary people can also play this "fighting corrupt officials" game, and even have a sacred sense of participation.
After all, everyone hates corrupt officials. Now you can use this game to defeat corrupt officials, which brings a sense of pleasure that is not found in reality.
Seeing this opportunity, some merchants sensed business opportunities, and they immediately launched beautifully crafted playing cards for sale. Not to mention, sales immediately became booming.
After Zhang Mingwei heard about it, he couldn't help but sigh. He forgot to register a patent for this thing. What a mistake!
Of course, he actually just sighed like this and didn't care much. He was not short of money anyway.
In this Spring Festival, there is another topic that has never been discussed before.
It's about the topic of the Spring Festival Gala, especially when some people know that those who participated in the Spring Festival Gala have received souvenirs, they are even more envious.
Anyone with a little bit of discernment knows that these souvenirs will all belong to Bora.
So, everyone started to move around and wanted to buy the commemorative medal, even a handbag. The price offered was even ten times that.
For example, the silver commemorative medal itself is about five taels of silver, and someone has offered a high price of fifty taels to buy it.
However, there are really very few people who are willing to sell.
Most people want it to be a family heirloom.
As a result, while the price is higher, many people are even more envious of those who can attend the Spring Festival Gala!
The topic of the Spring Festival Gala has become even more popular.
How is the situation of the Spring Festival Gala, how is the program, what kind of people can participate, etc.
When news spread that the Spring Festival Gala program would be toured across the country, it aroused the greatest concern. Many people have decided that this is a program that emperors and queens watch together, and I heard it is very good. That is, no matter how much money you spend, you still have to see what the program is like!
After hearing the news from the Jinyi Guardian, Zhang Mingwei originally planned to watch it for free, but immediately changed his mind and suggested that Zhu Yuyao increase the income of her literary and art soldiers and watch it for a fee instead. At most, a part of the income from this ticket can be used for charity, and the reputation will be better.
As for himself, he started to get busy before the Spring Festival was over.
Mainly because on New Year's Eve, he found it himself and received a mission from Emperor Chongzhen.
After three days of seclusion, he had a plan. When he and Zhu Yurao entered the palace and escaped, they handed the plan to Emperor Chongzhen.
This plan was not as relevant to other departments as the establishment of the Ministry of Science and Technology. Therefore, Emperor Chongzhen convened the cabinet, the Supervisor of Rites, and the six ministers to discuss the matter.
Although it is said to be a discussion, it is more of a notification to allow them to add to the plan, rather than giving them a chance to object.
As soon as these senior officials of the Ming Dynasty heard the content of the plan, they knew that this plan could only come from Duke Xingguo and not anyone else, because this plan was unheard of before, so they didn't run away!
And these things proposed by Xingguo Gong are often proved to be correct afterwards.
With this experience, of course, these senior officials of the Ming Dynasty now have more or less relationships with Duke Xingguo, and no one is so stupid that they want to fight with Duke Xingguo. In the end, they all expressed certain worries and worries. However, these are all Useless.
On the day when the imperial government officially opened its official office, Emperor Chongzhen announced Zhang Mingwei's plan during a major court meeting.
The Ministry of Household Affairs originally had thirteen Purification Departments, one for each province; however, because of the addition of a new province of Korea at the end of last year, it became fourteen Purification Departments.
This time, the major change was the same as that of the Ministry of Personnel. An additional yamen was added under the Ministry of Revenue, which was the Financial Department. However, the authority of this department is obviously much higher than that of other Qing officials, because its chief officer is not a doctor of the fifth rank, but a newly established minister of the second rank. The first minister of household affairs in the Ming Dynasty was Fang Kong.炤.
The main responsibility of the Financial Secretary is to establish the Central Bank of the Ming Dynasty. In addition to performing the functions of a bank, it also has other functions. To distinguish it, it is named a bank.
In addition to ordinary bank functions, banks also had the function of issuing new currencies of the Ming Dynasty, that is, gold coins, silver coins and copper coins. In the next five years, three new currencies will coexist with the original payment system of copper coins and silver. After five years, copper coins and silver will no longer be used as transaction currencies, at least the court will no longer recognize them.
The issuance of new currency will start with the distribution of salaries to civil and military officials and nobles. At the same time, the court made it clear that when the new currency begins to be issued, the court will also encourage payment of taxes in the new currency. This is one of them.
After half a year, military pay and other court expenditures will be paid in the new currency.
The issuance of new currency can only be issued by the Central Bank of the Ming Dynasty entrusted by the Financial Secretary. Other yamen or local powerful people may counterfeit the issuance and be severely punished if found. If someone reports it, half of the government will seize the money.
This means that the issuance of new currency will be decided by the Financial Secretary; and the executive agency is the Central Bank of Ming Dynasty under the Financial Secretary.
In addition, there is also a very important rule, which is to prevent the money that Ming people deposited in banks from being used by their owners, causing people to lose their money. Anyone who wants to open a bank or bank note must You must obtain qualification approval from the Financial Secretary and pay a certain deposit before you can open it again.
The official explanation is that once the bank owner runs away with money, this part of the deposit can compensate the people who have lost money. Whether it is enough or not, it is at least a guarantee.
In addition, the Central Bank of Ming Dynasty will pay depositors 1% interest on external deposits; instead of charging depositors a custody fee like a bank;
The annual interest rate for external loans from the Central Bank of the Ming Dynasty is 10%, which is far lower than the borrowing interest rate on the market.
In order to facilitate the money needs of the people of the Ming Dynasty, Nanjing will also set up a financial department and the Central Bank of the Ming Dynasty. However, the two yamen in Nanjing are separate yamen and are under the jurisdiction of the capital.
It is expected that within the next three years, branch offices will be established in all provincial capitals of Ming Dynasty.
In the next six months, the Central Bank of Ming Dynasty will carry out the general deposit and exchange business, that is, the money deposited in the Central Bank of Ming Dynasty in Nanjing can be withdrawn at the Central Bank of Beijing with bills, and vice versa!
After branch offices are established in various provincial capitals of the Ming Dynasty in the future, this kind of general deposit and exchange business will be available in each branch office of the Central Bank of the Ming Dynasty, making it convenient for the people of the Ming Dynasty to use money in other places.
As soon as this decree was issued, it immediately caused a sensation.
You know, at this time, if you go to save money with a bank account number, you will have to pay a storage fee. It makes sense to say it. After you save money, you not only need a place to put it, but you also have to hire someone to look after it. These all cost money.
However, when you deposit money at the Central Bank of Ming Dynasty, you don’t have to pay custody fees, and you will also be given money to the depositor. Even if it is only 1%, it is another income!
Although most people in this era still tend to keep their money in their cellars for safety. However, there are always some people who actually need savings, either for private money, or for business, etc. Now they don’t have to choose. It is definitely more cost-effective to deposit in the Central Bank of Ming Dynasty.
Of course, some people have concerns about depositing money into the Central Bank of Ming Dynasty. Because then, wouldn’t the government know how much money they have? Also, if the government doesn’t recognize you when you go to withdraw the money, then you won’t even have a place to file a complaint. Wouldn’t that be bad luck?
In this regard, the imperial court did not set any targets, such as how much money must be deposited in the Central Bank of the Ming Dynasty, whether it is deposited or not.
After a long time, they will naturally know whether the Central Bank of Ming Dynasty is worthy of their trust!
Of course, there are requirements for officials, especially officials in Beijing.
All their salaries will be deposited in the Central Bank of Ming Dynasty. When the salary is paid out, go to the Central Bank of Ming Dynasty to collect it yourself. If you don’t receive it and continue to deposit, the interest on the deposit will be calculated and paid to them.
In addition to the heated discussion about this deposit, loans are also inevitable. The loan interest rate is 10%, ten thousand taels of silver, and the interest of borrowing for one year is only one thousand taels of silver. For this era, it is like picking up money for nothing!
Although this measure has greatly harmed the interests of lenders, most of these lenders have powerful and powerful backgrounds. However, no matter how big their background is, can they be bigger than the imperial court?
Emperor Chongzhen and Duke Xingguo are watching. Are Jinyiwei and Dongchang vegetarians? What reason could they have for making trouble? Believe it or not, they were all arrested and put in jail?
For these people, offending means offending, how can they change the world?
