Late Tang Dynasty: I

Chapter 294 Useless Prohibition

The feudal towns of the Tang Dynasty have a characteristic, that is, merchants are not prohibited, on the contrary, caravans are especially welcome. The towns are very friendly to merchants, and even send troops to protect the caravans after they enter the country.

We must know that the Tang Dynasty has a vast territory, and the output varies from place to place. No feudal town can guarantee that its own output can meet its needs.

For each town, there are three kinds of commodities that are hard currency, one is grain, the other is silk cloth, and the third is salt and iron.

But no matter how big the business is, there is one point that most feudal towns still strictly prohibit the outflow of large amounts of copper coins, and most of the goods sold by merchants are exchanged for goods in the feudal town.

This is also the current situation of Datang at this time!
If the things are sold, the money cannot be brought back, and there may not be any needed goods in the various domains.

Zhang Chengye shook his head. He was more concerned about safety issues. If hundreds of thousands of money were swallowed up, the gains would outweigh the losses.

Li Ye said: "It doesn't cost much, so we need to do things more carefully. First check the merchants in each town, and then check the famous and respected ones. I have properties in each town. They can enter the business and use grain, salt, iron, and silk cloth to buy money." Open the way, by the way, you can still get wine, my royal wine, there should be many people interested in it!"

"Your Majesty, can this be done?"

"Let's do it and see. If the money of each town becomes a piece of redemption bill for the Datang Weaving Bureau, then it will not be controlled by one party at that time!"

Li Ye thought for a while, and then continued: "I want Datang Weaving Bureau to launch the business of saving and lending, what do you think?"

Zhang Chengye shook his head and said: "Your Majesty, lending money since ancient times has always eaten human flesh and drank human blood. This kind of wealth is unjust, and the acquisition is unknown. If you do, you may hurt the royal dignity!"

Li Ye understood that what Zhang Chengye was talking about was usury, which was not uncommon. It appeared in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods, and it came out of nine and thirteen times. As long as it sticks to it, it will inevitably lead to family ruin, but how could His Majesty the Emperor do usury.

"You need to pay interest for saving. For example, you need to set an interest rate of three yuan, and you need to charge money for lending, but it's not that high. If you charge five or six yuan in interest, how can I do such immoral things that go out of nowhere, Zhang Just think about it, the imperial court can also borrow money from the Datang Weaving Bureau, and if there is a war, it can also be used in an emergency!"

Li Ye has been afraid to get involved in savings and loans for a long time. In fact, he is also afraid. Once financial things are released, if they are abused, the impact on the country will be too great.

"There must be a regulation. Government loans need to be guaranteed by taxes. The loan amount cannot exceed [-]% of the annual tax. What do you think?"

"Storage can be used for personal business, but for lending, it is not for personal business, only for the government and merchants."

"This...Your Majesty, this matter is too big, and I still have to think about it!"

Li Ye nodded and said, "Let's prepare while you think about it. The style of redemption, password and so on must also be done. The key to saving and accepting loans is credit. This is the face of the Tang Dynasty royal family. You must not lose your trust in the world."

Zhang Chengye said: "Your Majesty, I think it's better to have another name, and... and..."

"What else?"

Zhang Chengye hurriedly knelt down and said: "Your Majesty, I have the courage to issue a strict order that the monarch of the Tang Dynasty cannot borrow money."

Old Zhang sees far-reaching, if the royal family treats this ticket number as a private treasury, it will cause endless disasters!But Li Ye felt a little uncomfortable hearing this, but still nodded.

"Yes, not only me, but also the kings of later generations in the Tang Dynasty. If there is any violation, the ancestors will not be blessed!"

Zhang Chengye didn't speak, in fact Li Ye also thought of it, and Zhang Chengye also thought that even if such a ban is set, it may be useless when the time comes.

The monarchy is supreme, and the emperor wants to lend money, can he stop it? Maybe the emperor doesn't need to say it clearly, and a group of people below are rushing to send money to the emperor.

Besides, the money was loaned to the emperor, and when it was due, who would dare to ask the emperor to pay it back.

It’s fine if you don’t absorb the savings, anyway, it’s the royal family’s internal money, but it’s different if you absorb the savings, the money in it becomes the people’s fat, how can the royal family squander it!
The two monarchs and ministers looked at each other, and they both saw the worry in each other's eyes.

Li Ye would not bring up the idea of ​​restricting the monarchy, constitutional monarchy, etc., it is not realistic at all, the world is not settled, he is not so stupid to tie his hands first.

"Try it first, pick a few places to try, and use the name of the royal family. If it is not controlled, I am ordering it to be cancelled!"

"His Majesty……"

Li Ye shook his head, Jiangnan was initially determined, and it was time to make big plans, and credit was a key part of it.

Li Ye said: "I have an idea, let's call all the gentlemen to discuss it together, Zhao Lishi!"

"The servant is here!"

"Let's call Du Rangneng, Jing Xiang, and Shi Pu to the Yizheng Hall!"

"promise!"

Du Rangneng, Jing Xiang, Shi Pu and others were all in the public house of the Jiedu Ambassador's Mansion. Compared with Daming Palace, the conditions here are much worse.

Shi Pu has been discussing matters with Du Rangneng, and this matter is also a major event in the eyes of the princes.

His Majesty the Emperor has not returned to Beijing for a year and a half, which has never happened in the Tang Dynasty.

"Dugong, Jinggong, Your Majesty has been staying in Bianliang for a long time. The city is empty, the country is unstable, and it is inconvenient to go to and from official business. If things go on like this, are you afraid of disaster?"

Du Rangneng didn't say a word. For more than a year, Huainan, Xuanwu, Caizhou, and Hezhong have come to rule one after another. His Majesty is creating a great cause through the ages. If he doesn't want to go back to Chang'an, he really has no time to go back to Beijing.

But if you don't return to the imperial capital for a long time, there are hidden dangers, but if you do, who will guard such a large place?
Jing Xiang thought a little more about why Shi Pu brought up this matter. After careful consideration, you can know that the Wuning Army is very close to Bianliang, and the imperial court's 10,000+ army is concentrated here. I'm afraid Shi Pu is very worried!

He thought of His Majesty's plan for the Five Capitals, and shook his head, but what about returning to the Eastern Capital?Compared with Chang'an, Luoyang, the eastern capital, has better geographical conditions, and it is more convenient to transfer money, food and materials.

It can be said that Bianliang can raise one million soldiers, while Luoyang can raise 80 soldiers. As for Chang'an, it is already the limit to raise an army of 30.

Before this issue is brought to the table, no one has a better solution.

The emperor sits in Chang'an and preaches to the four directions?
A hundred years of separatist regime, a hundred years of blood and tears, the emperor is gone, can these troops still be so obedient? We can't let all the family members of Xuanwu's generals move to Chang'an!

Jing Xiang thought: "If Your Majesty does not resolve the Hebei matter, I am afraid that he will not return to Chang'an!"

Shi Pu said: "There is no emperor's palace in Bianliang, and letting your majesty live in the official residence of the Jiedu envoy will hinder the royal prestige. This is what the old minister is worried about!"

The south of the Yangtze River is settled, and the world is shaking. The south of the Yellow River, except for Xuzhou, is the land of the Tang court. Shi Pu is deeply touched. Now that the imperial army is becoming more and more powerful, judging from the various actions of His Majesty, it is certain to cut down the vassal. Shi Pu Very worried!

(End of this chapter)