This time, the situation was very different from the situation where the Recruitment Law was promulgated. Whether it was the big landowners or the dignitaries in the court, they were really united and must fight to the end.
This is because the previous tax exemption really hurt them.
They came with revenge this time.
The key moment was very conducive to their manipulation of currency. It happened to be that rural households were in a lean period and needed food. They distributed food on a large scale, and the price of food dropped slightly, and the people benefited greatly.
They knew clearly that they were causing trouble, but no one dared to accuse them openly.
However, what is interesting is that Wang Anshi is also very happy to see them do this, because it provides assistance to his monetary policy.
If there was no such thing, he said that if he wanted to issue Jiaozi in Tokyo, at least it would have to go through a long period of discussion. When Song Renzong issued Jiaozi in Yizhou, it also went through repeated discussions, let alone in the capital.
Wang Anshi also has great hopes for this.
Today, he rushed to the Imperial City early in the morning to check out the progress of Jiaozi's production. This time, Jiaozi was to be released, but he personally worked on it and wrote all the words himself.
"Wang Jiefu."
Just as he arrived in front of the door, Wang Anshi suddenly heard a familiar voice. He turned his head and saw Sima Guang walking over with a smile. He couldn't help but think to himself, it was really unlucky to meet this little old man so early in the morning! Gongshou Road
: "Good morning, Jun."
"morning!"
Sima Guang bowed his hand in return and said, "I just want to ask you something today. I never thought I would meet you here."
You were obviously hiding aside to catch me. Wang Anshi asked without showing his face, "What's the matter?"
Sima Guang said: "Actually, Sinong Temple has collected a lot of coins recently. Why not just send these coins to the royal policemen? When these coins are used up, new coins will probably come out. Is it unnecessary to issue Jiaozi?"
"
Wang Anshi smiled and said: "Sinong Temple's money is not just for this month's wages. This year's wages for the royal police, tax police, inspectors, and the freight required by Kaifeng Mansion all depend on this money. How can I
I dare to spend it all, but the money is still not enough at the moment, so I can only mix the jiaozi with coins."
"I see."
Sima Guang nodded and asked: "So it's only for this year, and it won't be released again in the future, right?"
Why don't I also test his meaning? Wang Anshi pretended to hesitate and said: "It depends on the situation. If it is good, it is actually more convenient to use Jiaozi to buy and sell. You don't want to carry a cart full of money when you go out all day."
I knew this guy was making up his mind. Sima Guang's expression changed and he said seriously: "Wang Jiefu, I don't object to your issuance of Jiaozi this time, but I will definitely stop it in the future, no matter whether the result is good or bad.
."
Wang Anshi said angrily: "I tell you Junshi, why do you always go against me? It's also tax exemption. If I do it, it will increase the burden on the people. If Zhang San does it, you not only don't say anything, but you also praise him so much. Where on earth am I?"
I hired you, why don’t you tell me and I apologize to you?”
Sima Guang said: "I am not targeting you, I am just discussing the matter. I believe you Wang Jiefu can issue according to the number, but what about a hundred years from now? Can you guarantee that in the future no one will issue promiscuity like Yizhou did before?
"
In fact, he didn't believe that Wang Anshi would issue the money according to the number.
Wang Anshi hummed: "I promise you, will you believe it? Whether this can work or not, you have to try it first. How will you know if you don't try it? Besides, there are only so many coppers, but the transactions in the market are becoming more and more frequent, and this coin is never enough.
We have to find a way to use it, and Jiaozi is also a way. Besides, it has been used in Yizhou for decades. Although it has problems, it can be improved."
"Oh! I knew you had no good intentions."
Sima Guang pointed at Wang Anshi and said: "The fox's tail is exposed. There is not enough copper. Send Jiaozi. You just want to use Jiaozi to replace coins. If the court is short of money, you can just print Jiaozi. This is what you call the people."
If you don't increase taxes but use spares for the country? You are no longer competing with the people for profit, but plundering their wealth."
Wang Anshi was sprayed by him, his face full of anger, he pointed at Sima Guang and said: "Okay, okay, come here, you can think of a way to deal with the current money shortage crisis."
Sima Guang immediately said: "This crisis of money shortage has not happened before. Even if we let it go completely, the people will find a way to deal with it. What the court has to do is not to add fuel to the fire and allow the people to pay taxes with goods.
When the time comes, they can't help themselves and will still take out the coins. Furthermore, I'm not saying that your response is wrong. I am saying that this Jiaozi can only be used in times of crisis, not often."
Having said this, he looked around and whispered: "Can you guarantee that officials will not send spam?"
In fact, both of them are right. Just like their governing philosophy, one is to reduce expenditure and the other is to increase revenue.
Wang Anshi was a financial manager, and what he saw was the importance of money to the economy, while Sima Guang studied human nature, and he knew that anyone who used Jiaozi would definitely end up making money indiscriminately, which was terrible.
The two were arguing when Lu Huiqing suddenly walked up quickly and said, "Master..." Seeing that Sima Guang was also there, he quickly bowed his hands and said, "I have met Bachelor Sima before."
Sima Guang nodded slightly.
Lu Huiqing quietly handed a newspaper to Wang Anshi. Wang Anshi took it and took a look at it. He knew that meeting this old man would be up to no good. He tilted his head to Sima Guang and said, "Jun Shi, I have something urgent to deal with.
I’ll take my leave now, and we’ll discuss it another day.”
After saying that, he left in a hurry.
Sima Guang asked curiously: "What happened?"
Suddenly I heard someone behind me laughing and saying, "You came early today and didn't see the newspaper that just came out."
Sima Guang looked back and saw Lu Gongzhu. He bowed his hands first and then asked: "What newspaper?"
Lu Gongzhu directly handed the newspaper in his hand to Sima Guang.
Sima Guang took it and looked at it, and couldn't help but exclaimed: "I am really self-righteous."
Lu Gongzhu asked: "How do you say this?"
Sima Guang smiled and said: "I have always been worried that Wang Jiefu would use Jiaozi to replace coins and harm the people of the world. In fact... haha... the people will not be confused and know the harm of Jiaozi."
Lu Gong wrote: "It's not that the people are ignorant, but the appearance of this newspaper has changed many things!"
Sima Guang nodded.
This article actually introduces the origin and development process of Jiaozi. In the middle, it points out the indiscriminate distribution of Jiaozi in the past, and the fact that during the Renzong period, in order to raise military rations, a total of 600,000 yuan was distributed without any reserves.
Through.
This article did not say anything bad about Jiaozi, it just introduced the history of Jiaozi.
But the people are not stupid. After listening to everyone's discussion, they quickly concluded that it is benevolent and righteous for the court to keep a reserve fund. If not, there is nothing you can do about it. You don't even know if there is one. And how many copies of this thing do you want to print?
Either way.
One can imagine the impression the imperial court had in the minds of the people.
The key is that the newspaper was spread too widely. In just one morning, the people had already thrown Jiaozi into a smelly ditch.
Bianjing Law Firm.
"The imperial court is really whimsical. It wants to exchange our money for just a piece of paper. It really treats us as fools."
Fan Li, who had just come back from outside, smiled and shook his head.
Zhang Fei frowned and asked, "What's going on outside?"
Fan Li said: "Some people say they won't accept this Jiaozi, and some people say they are willing to accept it at 70%. But in this case, it is impossible for anyone to take it. The people of Yizhou have no choice. They can't transport even the coins in. We in Bianjing
But we have the largest coinage workshop in the country, so we can wait for the coins to be minted. At worst, we will have to barter first, and the coins will not be minted for several years."
Zhang Fei sighed: "We can afford to wait, but the tax exemption cannot afford to wait. If it were not an emergency, the court would not do this."
Fan Li said: "Then you think the imperial court is a little too kind. If we accept this friendship, do you think the imperial court will print more seals?"
"...!"
This sentence made Zhang Fei speechless, thinking, yes! Once this article was published, can the people in the capital still believe in Jiaozi? In fact, Jiaozi is the most beneficial to businessmen, if the businessmen do not accept it
, it is basically impossible to succeed. It seems that I still have to use my method. But issuance of banknotes in this era will cause endless disasters, but if it is not issued, it will indeed be difficult for the economy to develop.
Just then, Wang Anshi walked in angrily. He ignored the two of them and walked directly to the box.
"Don't let anyone in."
"knew."
Zhang Fei told Fan Li and followed him in.
"It's all your fault."
Wang Anshi pointed to the newspaper on the table and said.
Zhang Fei hurriedly said: "This has nothing to do with me, it is not distributed by my genuine bookstore."
Wang Anshi said: "Didn't you make this newspaper?"
"Ah? Is this what Bachelor Wang is referring to?"
"What do you think it is?" Wang Anshi said: "Those people borrowed newspapers to distort the court's ideas wantonly. After this incident, I must punish them who sell newspapers."
He was really angry. As soon as this article was published, Jiaozi immediately became a joke.
Zhang Fei said: "If I remember correctly, this newspaper also benefited Bachelor Wang a lot at that time."
Wang Anshi's expression changed and he asked: "Then can you benefit me again?"
Even if we want to rectify the newspaper, we have to talk about it after this matter. After all, the other party only explained the history of Jiaozi and did not slander him. It is not easy for him to make an attack. We will talk about it later. He came to Zhang Fei today just to hope that Zhang Fei can help him win the battle.
This is a propaganda battle.
Zhang Fei sat down and said: "The other party didn't use any tricks. He just told the facts. The reason why it became like this is just because the people don't believe in the court's Jiaozi. No matter what I say, the people will not believe it."
Wang Anshi asked: "What's your ability to call a deer a horse?"
Zhang Fei said sarcastically: "That's a lawsuit, it's different."
Wang Anshi sighed: "But we have to find a way to deal with it. They are doing this just to avenge the tax exemption. Now that we have finally made them pay the tax, we can't get it back."
Zhang Fei frowned and struggled for a while, "I did this, and I will find a way to solve this problem."
Wang Anshi asked hurriedly: "Do you have any idea?"
Zhang Fei nodded.
Wang Anshi said: "What can we do?"
Zhang Fei said: "Change another piece of paper."
"Change the paper?"
"good."
Zhang Fei said: "Use salt banknotes instead of Jiaozi."
Wang Anshi was stunned for a moment, and then said: "It's not like I haven't considered this. In many areas in the northwest, salt banknotes are used as currency, but whether it is salt banknotes or Jiaozi, they are all the same, there is no difference."
Zhang Fei said: "There is still a difference."
Wang Anshi asked: "What's the difference?"
Zhang Fei said: "The difference is that people can live without money for a long time, but they cannot live without salt for a long time."
