Emperor Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 99
Zhu Youjian was quite happy to see that this small restaurant began to use silver dollars for transactions, and even the large-denomination banknotes issued by the central bank of Ming Dynasty a few days ago have been recognized by the market.

This at least shows that the currency reform is successful, and the obstacles are not so great.

It even means that in the not-too-distant future, banknotes will be implemented smoothly.

But one serving of noodles actually charged three silver dollars!

This made Zhu Youjian very unexpected.

Chongzhen 17 years of Nanjing city prices are still so high?

Zhu Youjian remembered that Fan Jingwen, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, had reported that one stone of rice was ten taels of silver a year ago, that is to say, one liter of rice was one coin.

But now, a bowl of noodles costs three silver dollars.

This is equivalent to eating a bowl of 30 yuan noodles in later generations.

"Why are the noodles in this store so expensive?" Zhu Youjian asked the supervisor of ceremonies, Bing Bishi Kefa.

"Returning to Your Majesty, this is just an ordinary restaurant, and the price is quite reasonable. It's just that the world is in chaos now, and the food production is not as good as before, so the price of food has been rising."

After Shi Kefa said, Zhu Youjian couldn't help but nodded: "This is still in the south, food prices are so high, and I don't know what the scene is in the north. This also proves that after the spring of next year, a big war is inevitable."

As he said that, Zhu Youjian instructed Li Ruolian, the Commander of Jinyiwei and his fellow acquaintance, "Bring him over that rich businessman just now. Since he came from Huguang, you might as well ask him about Huguang."

Soon.

The wealthy businessman was brought to Zhu Youjian.

It was the first time for Zhu Youjian to talk to people who were not in the system at close range, and he felt very fresh. Once upon a time, he was the same as them in his previous life, and he was the ruled person in this society.

But now, due to an accident in his previous life, he has become the ruler of the empire in this world.

Now sitting in front of such a wealthy businessman, Zhu Youjian no longer has the inferiority complex caused by his own poverty in his previous life, but looks at this wealthy businessman with a contemptuous expression: "What business do you do?"

This wealthy businessman can also see that Zhu Youjian and others are of extraordinary status by observing their words and demeanor, so naturally he bowed humbly and replied: "Returning to the master, Xiaomin is an official businessman named by the Ministry of Households, specializing in iron ore and grain trading. .”

The ironware and food also aroused Zhu Youjian's vigilance, and he took off Wu Mengming's waist badge and put it on the table: "We belong to Jinyiwei, how do you do this business, tell us, there can't be any A lie."

"Xiaomin obeyed. The price of iron ore in Huguang has soared recently. It was rumored that Ning Nanbo wanted to cast iron armor. The young man got the deal from General Jin Shenghuan, and also helped General Jin Shenghuan purchase grain in Jiangnan."

The rich businessman just finished speaking.

As the commander of Jinyiwei, Wu Mengming, who is in charge of intelligence investigation, slammed the table: "Bold! Take it down for me!"

"Wait!"

Zhu Youjian snorted coldly, seeing that the wealthy businessman had knelt down tremblingly, he hurriedly said:
"Don't be afraid, get up and answer. Although the imperial court prohibits the export of salt, iron and grain to the north, it does not prohibit you from selling in Huguang. It's not your fault. You are a merchant named by the Ministry of Households, and you have the right to franchise, so naturally It’s not illegal smuggling, since you know Jin Shenghuan, take a moment to send him a message, and say that Mr. Shi Kefa, the supervisor of ceremonies, wants to see him.”

With that said, Zhu Youjian asked the rich businessman to retreat.

Shi Kefa couldn't help asking Zhu Youjian at this time: "I don't know why Your Majesty wants to meet Jin Shenghuan in the name of a humble official. What's so special about this person?"

"There are not many people under Zuo Liangyu's command who are good at fighting. If there are, this Jin Shenghuan is one of them. It seems that you have been dishonest recently."

After talking, Zhu Youjian walked out of the hotel first, and at the same time entrusted Wu Mengming to strengthen the investigation of the Huguang area, and warned Yuan Jixian and Huang Degong to pay close attention to the movement of Huguang.

"Don't worry, Your Majesty, I must keep an eye on Huguang Zuo Liangyu Department!"

Wu Mengming replied.

Zhu Youjian nodded and said nothing, and continued to walk towards the Military Weapons Bureau on a blanket of white snow: "Is there any news from Macau?"

"Hong Fan is willing to send [-] mercenaries, but they demand that the mercenary money be doubled, and there must be a pension after death."

Wu Mengming replied.

"This request is not too much. I agree to them. In addition, tell them to take out their most powerful firearms. If they perform well on the battlefield, I can consider purchasing a large amount of arms from them. The transaction value may not be lower than Millions of silver dollars."

Zhu Youjian knows that Portugal and Spain are now the ocean overlords in the Western world, and thermal weapons are already at the forefront of the world.

Most of the artillery technology in the middle and late Ming Dynasty was also imported from these two countries.

Although Zhu Youjian will definitely focus on equipment manufacturing's attention on the improvement and development of Daming's domestic firearms.

But Zhu Youjian will not close the country, and will not take this opportunity to learn about the latest development of firearms in Portugal and Spain.

Even, Zhu Youjian may use this to make an arms deal between Portugal, Spain and Daming. After all, in the future, Ming’s demand for firearms will definitely increase, and these two today’s Western powers may be able to Daming undertakes a certain amount of production.

Of course, the main output of equipment manufacturing still has to rely on domestic production.

Zhu Youjian came to Daming's Military Weapons Bureau in Nanjing, and saw that the street where the Military Weapons Bureau was located was full of the sound of iron and pot knocking.

Taking a closer look, Zhu Youjian found that this street is full of iron shops and various tinkering pots and shops for making gold and silver jewelry.

Looking at the front again, there are also blacksmith shops inside and outside the gate of the Armament Bureau. There are handymen carrying newly made knives and guns, and those craftsmen are working in the shed. Women and children warming by the iron stove.

"This is really a street made of gold and iron!"

After Zhu Youjian said a word, he asked Xu Shilin, Shangshu of the Ministry of Industry: "When I moved to the south, there were tens of thousands of craftsmen who were brought to Nanjing together. How are these people settled now?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, the blacksmiths, pot menders, Western clock repairers, and gold and silver jewelry makers you saw just now are all them. I don't know why Your Majesty brought these people to Nanjing together. , but your Majesty, if you want my ministers to settle them down, the ministers can only open their shops with the money allocated by the Ministry of Users, so that they can have a means of earning a living, and they can only support them for nothing if they stay in the Military Armament Bureau."

Xu Shilin, Shangshu of the Ministry of Industry, answered Zhu Youjian's words with a smile. In his mind, the key tasks of the Ministry of Industry were dredging the river and building the imperial tomb, and the Military Weapons Bureau was just a subsidiary management department of the Ministry of Industry. Not to mention craftsmen, who are neither Hanlin Jinshi nor Jinyi Xiaowei, so why bother to keep them for nothing.

But what Xu Shilin didn't expect was that Zhu Youjian's face was already darkened at this time.

　Thank you book friend Huang Meng for the reward of 999 book coins, and thank you book friend Liu Huo Canglong for the reward of 100 book coins
　　
　
(End of this chapter)