Red Mansion: I am Jia Lian

Chapter 57 Central Bank?

The Minister of Rites is vacant. The appearance of Li Qing, the right minister, is undoubtedly the emperor's preparation for the next minister. In the next provincial examination (Autumn Wei) and next year's general examination (Spring Wei), Li Qing will become the chief examiner. It is not the case that the assistant minister becomes the minister. Is it a normal procedure?

How could Jia Lian not be concerned about his own path to the imperial examination?
  At this time, doesn’t the importance of a good teacher come to light?

"Now you regret embarrassing Li Rushui?" Zhang Ting'en always spared no effort in attacking Jia Lian.

"Haha, as the head of the mountain, I am unfair in dealing with things, so what if I embarrass him? If pressed, I will not study or take the imperial examination, and directly follow the route of Yin Meng. With the resources of the Jia family, it is a big deal that I can get promoted and make a fortune by collaborating with the nobles. . Teacher, for me, the imperial examination is not the only path in Huashan." Jia Lian retorted without any hesitation.

The truth is the most hurtful. Zhang Ting'en knew very well that what Jia Lian said was the truth. Even if he is targeted in the imperial examination, Jia Lian may not be able to pass the exam. Li Qing, who has just recovered, may not be able to prevent Jia Lian from passing the exam.

"Then why don't you donate an official? With the energy of the Jia family, it won't be difficult to get the seventh-grade official, right?"

Zhang Tingen called this mutual harm. Under normal circumstances, donating an official position was just to gain an identity and improve social status. For example, everyone is an official. You are a scholar and I am an official. Those who donate official posts do not need to kneel when they meet, and they are treated the same as scholars. what about others? there is none left. What is abnormal is that there is a real shortage of donated officials.

When the imperial court is short of money to a certain extent and the shortage of officials becomes a norm, it is often the end of the dynasty.

In today's Great Zhou Dynasty, donating an official position can buy you a basic social status, but you have to have it. With the power of the Jia family, officials who came from the imperial examination can't do anything about it now. What about the future? All eyes will be on you, and any flaws will be uncovered and exposed to the world. To put it bluntly, you are not in the same league as officials who came from the imperial examination.

"Should I donate a military position?" Jia Lian suddenly changed his tone. This time Zhang Ting'en really had nothing to say.

The smile on Zhang Tingen's face disappeared completely, and he said with a long face: "I understand, it's not fun for you to come here during the Chinese New Year!"

Jia Lian immediately smiled and apologized: "Teacher, don't, see what you said, I sincerely came to pay New Year greetings. It's just that I was annoyed by my family. You see, if I were someone with some brains, between the two supreme beings If you are fighting secretly, you can't hide as far as you want?"

Zhang Ting'en was just pretending, but when he saw that he was giving in, he immediately changed his face and said with a smile: "What do you want?"

Jia Lian heard the serious answer: "The Jia family's motto is very clear and clear. Loyalty to the emperor and patriotism are the foundation!"

Zhang Ting'en immediately laughed. The ancestors of the Jia family were smart people. The first generation of Ning Guo Gong Rong Guo Gong was really smart. What does that mean? The popular understanding of this sentence is this: Who is loyal to whom as emperor?

Do you understand this explanation? Now that Emperor Chenghui is sitting on the throne, there is no doubt that he is on Emperor Chenghui's side.

It's a pity that Jia Zhen and Jia She were blinded by the small amount of money. When they saw the powerful people united to make trouble, Emperor Chenghui suspended the payment of the debt as soon as the Supreme Emperor spoke again. Did they think that the emperor had given up?
  Is this giving in? It's obviously after school, don't leave!

The exchange between the master and the apprentice lasted for a while, and Jia Lian finished his meal. He put down his chopsticks and looked around for a tea cup. Zhang Ting'en turned around and said hello. This time, the person serving tea was not the old housekeeper, but a very good-looking young woman.

No need to ask, this is the maid given to Zhang Ting'en by the emperor to take care of his life.

There are three thousand beauties in the harem. This is just an approximate number. Each emperor has different numbers in his harem. The palace maids of the Zhou Dynasty would be released from the palace after they reached the age of twenty-five. In this era when women get married at the age of fourteen, the maids spend the best ten years of their lives in the palace for a chance to become a phoenix.

How to say, how many people are voluntary?

Jia Lian estimated that those women who believed in boxers would be driven crazy if they traveled to this era.

"The sample of silver coins has been made. Your Majesty is thinking about how to settle this account with the Ministry of Accounts." The idea came from Jia Lian, so Zhang Ting'en naturally wanted to ask him what he meant.

The internal funds and the treasury of the household department became two systems in the Ming Dynasty, and the Zhou Dynasty also continued this system.

The emperor said that he was rich all over the world, but if he had no internal funds, he would have to fight with the Ministry of Revenue if he wanted to make some money. During the Taizu period of the Great Zhou Dynasty, it was stipulated that 10% of the annual income of the household department, the profits of the local weaving bureaus, 50% of the Chongwenmen tax supervisor, and the national mining tax should be paid into the internal funds.

This amount of money is between two and three million taels per year, and the bulk of the internal funds is the Municipal Shipping Department. 50% of the annual tax revenue goes to the Household Department, and the remaining 50% is divided between the clan government and the internal funds. The scope of rights of the clan mansion is the royal family (including relatives) + those with titles, such as Jia She and Jia Zhen, who receive a salary from the clan mansion twice a year. The salaries of the princes come from internal funds.

The rules were set by Taizu. During the Emperor Taishang's reign, he had tampered with the personnel power of the Ministry of Household Affairs, so the powerful could borrow money from the Ministry of Household Affairs. If we had simply not borrowed the money or used internal funds, there would not have been such a thing as the Ministry of Household Affairs clearing the debt.

"What do you mean, the minting of coins is not done by the Ministry of Revenue?" Jia Lian confirmed doubtfully. There was no central bank in this era.

"The Ministry of Household Affairs does not care about this work. If you really want to mint coins, it must be the work of the Ministry of Works. Both the Ministry of Household Affairs and the Ministry of Works are like sieves. They cannot keep any secrets. So, Your Majesty asked the Ministry of Internal Affairs to try it first I got the sample, and technically achieved the silver plate stamping you mentioned in one step. It’s such a situation, how can you tell the difference clearly? "

Jia Lian was dumbfounded and stuttered: "No, mentor, for such a big thing, do you expect me to have a child?" Zhang Ting'en chased after him with a smile: "You made the suggestion, shouldn't I ask you?"

"Teacher, there are people who cheat parents and teachers in this world. You are cheating students. You don't want me to live a good life."

The meaning of Jia Lian's words is very clear. Can I get involved in this matter? You don't want to die, right?

It seems that Jia Lian was kind-hearted and helped make a suggestion. The benefits were obvious. He could earn 10% of the seigniorage tax. The emperor and the country have benefited, but you come to ask me about embarrassing things? Jia Lian wanted to say something to Zhang Ting'en: Teacher, I advise you to be kind!

"I'd like to make a suggestion. Let's talk about it in private. I'll keep it secret. Can I still harm you?" Zhang Ting'en was also a little embarrassed. There are too many interests in this. If we really bring it up for discussion, let alone the Ministry of Household Affairs. The entire civil service group can unite to fight for interests, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs is not a vegetarian, and it will definitely become a fool when the time comes.

Zhang Ting'en's guarantee is nonsense in Jia Lian's opinion. Even if you kill me, I don't believe you can keep it secret. The emperor must have known about it. When Jia Lian came up with the idea to get money for the emperor's favor, he shot himself in the foot, and things came back again.

"If that doesn't work, just step out and set up a central bank to be responsible for minting and operating coins. We will discuss how to divide the spoils specifically."

Jia Lian still gave him an idea casually. The central bank in the imperial power era had a silver-standard currency, so it really wasn't too worried about the excessive issuance of currency. In this case, why not just turn it into a commercial bank?
  "Wait? Why is there still something about operations?" Zhang Ting'en was extremely keen and immediately captured the key points.

"Commercial operations are just money transactions. With the endorsement of the imperial court and the right to mint coins, for the time being, we will do some exchange business. For example, we can open a bill from Guangzhou and exchange it for silver dollars in the capital. The central bank There is a small handling fee. But the money is in the bank's vault, I'm worried, forget it, let's leave it like this for now." What is Jia Lian worried about? Of course he is the emperor! The bank treasury of the household department and the bank treasury of internal funds are all trivial matters. Once there is a problem with the private deposits of the bank, it will be really fatal. The current emperor is wise and powerful and will not reach out randomly. Can you guarantee that the next emperor will not reach into the bank's treasury?
  But how do you say this? None of my business! Jia Lian thinks there is no need to worry unfoundedly. I don’t expect to profit from it, nor do I expect to live forever. No matter how bad the country is, I won’t be able to see it even after I die.

As long as it's useful, use it to death. Zhang Ting'en knew this well, so he had no intention of letting Jia Lian go. Instead, he showed a kind and peaceful smile, his eyes were full of care, and his tone was rare with a hint of admiration: "Quick thinking! Tell me in detail!"

Who is Jia Lian? Before time travel, he was a boss who had been squatting in the department for decades, and he could see through Zhang Tingen's thoughts at a glance. So he said very rudely: "Human, as long as you can do it, there will be endless work in your life. As long as you can endure hardship, you will have endless suffering in your life. As long as you can enjoy blessings, you will naturally have endless enjoyment in your life. I am a blessed person."

When Jia Lian said the last sentence, he still restrained his emotions and did not ask clearly: "Do you understand?"

It would be nice to help with some ideas. The person sitting in front of you is Jia Lian, the grandson of Duke Rongguo and the next generation heir. He is the one who has been blessed since birth, not the teacher you hired. Being able to sit here and come up with ideas is the fate of the two masters and apprentices.

I didn't explain it clearly, the meaning was all in the eyes and expressions.

Zhang Ting'en is not a person who gives up easily. This level of ridicule could not hurt a few hairs. Instead, he performed further and said with a solemn expression: "Apprentice, you can clearly see the current situation in the court. Your Majesty. It’s very difficult! Even my teacher can understand your thoughts. If you don’t use your strength now, when will you wait?”

In layman's terms, this is: "Shu Zi, if you want to embrace the emperor's lap, you have to show your skills. Don't think about whoring for nothing!"

What Zhang Ting'en did was naturally for his ambition, not for pure loyalty. Jia Lian saw this very clearly.

There is indeed no shortage of scholar-bureaucrats in the past dynasties who have feelings for their family and country, and Zhang Ting'en is undoubtedly one of them.

It was precisely because he knew who he was that Jia Lian wanted to bargain. If you don't negotiate the price at this time, you are tricked into agreeing, and then you want to bargain for the price later, that's another matter.

Let me give you an example. When a person forms a habit of responding to others' requests, if you refuse one day, the person you helped will actually hate you. The idea of ​​​​solving the problem is this, you are obviously very rich, what's wrong with lending me some money? A negative example is a person who is always very stingy. If you ask him to borrow money and are rejected, you will feel that it is natural.

This is human nature. Many people will not cherish the things that are easily available, such as family love and friendship.

Jia Lian just wants to leave an impression on Zhang Ting'en. He is not a tool that can be manipulated casually. He helps because of the relationship between master and apprentice. This relationship can also help Jia Lian's imperial examination progress smoothly.

"Sir, students will participate in the Autumn Boudoir this year. Students have little talent and little learning, and every breath is precious. After the Autumn Boudoir, next year's Spring Boudoir, students..."

"Shut up!" Zhang Tingen interrupted decisively: "Zhuzi, if you don't show some dignity as a teacher, you will be disobedient."

Jia Lian blinked with a smile on his face, his expression innocent.

"Bah! Little fox!"

"Sir, this is boring."

"Stop talking nonsense, I will explain your merits clearly in front of His Majesty."

"Sir, the student is from a distinguished family. This merit has nothing to do with the imperial examination."

"Shuzi, do you want His Majesty to help you cheat?"

"Sir, what a student wants is fair! If Your Majesty can understand the difficulties faced by his ministers, just give him a second-class Jinshi."

The frothy confrontation ended here. Zhang Ting'en did not continue to negotiate the price. He picked up the tea cup and took a sip: "I will report to your majesty truthfully. You also have to come up with something practical. You can't be a teacher with empty heads." promise."

Jia Lian smiled: "Sir, I will serve you with pen and paper!"

Seeing the quill pen and wooden ruler that Jia Lian asked Chang Sui Xiao'an to send, Zhang Ting'en frowned slightly and couldn't understand what this boy was going to do.

When Jia Lian used a ruler to fold the torn paper, which was exactly the same size, and started writing, Zhang Ting'en began to frown again. Forget about the quill, why do you write from left to right or horizontally?
  Zhang Ting'en did not have an attack, but watched patiently. After all, for this reason, Jia Lian would not do anything wrong.

"Some Suggestions on Establishing the Central Bank of the Great Zhou Dynasty" is the title.

The contents are ready-made on Jia Lian's desk at home, and every punctuation mark is memorized. To create a live version now is nothing more than to leave a deep impression on Zhang Ting'en. He is talented and can make an impression instantly on the spot.

How do you say this? It's like writing a novel. You have a story idea in mind. Whether you can connect it with appropriate words and give readers an unstoppable reading pleasure is another matter.

As Jia Lian's writing progressed, Zhang Ting'en frowned frequently. What do you mean? The language is too colloquial and straightforward.

This is a matter of course in Jia Lian's opinion. When you write a business report, don't you have to be straightforward?
  Fortunately, Zhang Ting'en can accept plain language and straightforwardness. Some officials write memorials to the emperor, which are eloquent. The first 5,500 words are all nonsense, and the last 500 words only tell the story.

Jia Lian really doesn't say a word of nonsense here, the writing is concise, popular and straightforward. Write one, and Zhang Tingen will take one.

When Jia Lian finally put down the pen, Zhang Ting'en immediately took it and folded it, carefully dipping it with rice grains.

Jia Lian couldn't help but shake his head when he saw this. I clearly wrote the serial number in the upper right corner.

"You go back first, I will go into the palace and ask for an audience with you."

Jia Lian:……. Thank you for your hard work. Are you so stingy with these three words?
  (End of this chapter)