However, a question appeared in Han Du's mind: why are Lao Zhu and his son so stingy?
"Your Highness, I have a question and I don't know whether I should ask it or not?"
"you say."
"The emperor is rich all over the world, and His Highness is also the crown prince of the Ming Dynasty. Why..."
Han Du was so embarrassed by the two people's stinginess that he was too embarrassed to continue talking.
However, although Han Du did not say it, Zhu Biao said it for him straightforwardly, "You want to say that it is only three thousand guan. Why can't my father come up with a penny? When I come to this palace, I will only give it to you."
Half of you?"
"This," Han Du laughed a few times and denied, "How dare I think so? I don't mean this..."
If you don't mean this, what do you mean? It's just that you dare not say it clearly.
Zhu Biao didn't care whether Han Du was falsely denying it. He looked up at the sky outside the palace and sighed: "My father is well aware of the suffering of the people and is unwilling to increase the burden on the people unless it is absolutely necessary. Therefore, the court has always
The taxes of the Northern Yuan Dynasty are not very large. If they don't conquer the Northern Yuan Dynasty, it would be better to make do with it. But the Northern Yuan Dynasty has such a close enemy, how can the imperial court sit back and watch them get a chance to breathe? In fact, all these years have been through distribution.
The treasure money is here to support the military needs of the Northern Expedition."
"Originally, I and my father thought that this was a perfect method, and there would be no problem if we continue to issue it like this for a long time. But since you pointed out that issuing treasure banknotes is consuming the national fortune of the Ming Dynasty, I can tell you.
Zhu Biao approached Han Du and whispered in his ear: "My father is so frightened by you that he never dares to continue to issue treasure money indiscriminately."
Was Lao Zhu frightened?
How could Lao Zhu, who "killed millions of soldiers in the south of the Yangtze River, and the sword on his waist was still bloody", be frightened?
Then how can I, the initiator of this, get away with it?
Being hated by Lao Zhu is something more terrifying than the 'Sword of Damocles' above your head, and your head may fall to the ground at any time.
Han Du's tone was dry and he defended: "Your Highness, I'm just discussing the matter as it is, without any selfish motives."
"I know," Zhu Biao nodded, "Father also knows, so Father doesn't mean to blame you. Instead, he admires you very much and thinks you have extraordinary talents. That's why I gave you the treasure bank transfer case."
, I just want you, a person who is proficient in treasure money, to do what you say you do."
"I dare not risk my life." Han Du said seriously.
In this era, he was still sure of establishing a paper currency system that was beneficial to the Ming Dynasty.
But it's one thing to be sure, but it's another thing to be stared at by Lao Zhu.
Don't think that being talented means you will be safe. When Lao Zhu wants to kill you, being talented will have no effect at all.
For example, sincerity is limited to Liu Ji.
Is he talented? Who dares to say that he has no talent?
"Zhuge Liang divides the world into three parts, and Liu Bowen dominates the world."
But even if Liu Ji was so talented, did Lao Zhu ever see any hesitation when he killed him?
In front of Lao Zhu, I still have to be careful.
Stay tight and don't wander.
"Since my father stopped issuing treasure banknotes, the court's expenses have become increasingly tight." Zhu Biao sighed.
"Is the imperial court's budget really so tight that it can't even afford three thousand guans?" Han Du asked with a frown. A camel is so skinny that it is bigger than a horse. With such a big man, no matter how poor he is, he should not even have this little money.
Can't even take it out.
"It's more tight than you think," Zhu Biao glanced at Han Du from the corner of his eye, "Let me tell you this, since the issuance of treasure notes has been stopped, my father has taken at least one hundred thousand coins from the inner treasury to supplement the imperial court. Now I wish I could break a penny in half and spend it."
When Han Du heard this, he wisely shut up and did not continue the topic. It had only been a month, and Lao Zhu only subsidized the imperial court with a subsidy of 100,000 yuan.
Um?
Han Du suddenly understood why every time he raised money with Lao Zhu, Lao Zhu told him to get lost.
If someone dared to cheat me out of a hundred thousand yuan in a month, I would not only tell him to get out when I met him, but I would dare to fight him to the death.
From this point of view, Lao Zhu is quite generous to himself and gets angry without even meeting him.
But as he listened, Han Du discovered that there seemed to be something wrong with the two men's ideas about money.
After thinking for a moment, Han Du asked doubtfully: "How does Your Highness view money?"
"Money is money, how else should we treat it?" Zhu Biao didn't know why, and felt that Han Du's question was simply in vain.
Han Du straightened his back and thought to himself, it's a good thing you didn't say, "It's difficult for a rich man to be a man without money."
Sitting upright, he said to Zhu Biao, "Your Highness, can you give me some money? I will give you a demonstration."
Zhu Biao saw Han Du's serious expression and knew that he had something important to say, so he waved his hand and asked the eunuch to give him twenty taels of silver.
"Your Highness, please look," Han Du picked up a silver ingot, "This thing is money to the official, but not to Your Highness."
"For me, this is also money." Zhu Biao retorted.
Okay, you have fallen into Qian's eyes and can't get out, right? Han Du sighed a little in his heart.
He had no choice but to continue explaining to Zhu Biao, "What I mean is that this thing is money to me, because I can use this silver to buy goods."
"I can also use this silver to buy goods."
Huh? Is this going to be an endless argument?
Han Du was speechless.
Okay, Han Du is going to change the angle, "Your Highness, this silver itself has no value. The reason why it can buy goods is just that our characters have given value to it. People didn't use silver at first. Money, initially shells were used as money, and later they were used as currency and gold and silver."
Zhu Biao listened thoughtfully. He naturally knew about using shells as money, because it was recorded in history books. In the Spring and Autumn Period, people used shells as money.
"Your Highness, do people still use shells as money now? No. If the shell itself has the value of money, then why no one uses it now? The reason why no one uses it now is because of itself. It does not have value, its value is artificially assigned to it, and the same is true for current currency and gold and silver."
"Not only that, if people recognize something, even if it is a stone or a piece of paper, as long as it is given a value, it can be used as money. This is the case with treasure notes."
Zhu Biao seemed to understand a little bit, but also seemed a little confused. However, when Han Du mentioned the treasure banknotes, he nodded. The characteristics of the treasure banknotes are too obvious. They are just ordinary pieces of paper, but they can Used as money.
"So money is different for the court and for individuals."
"For me, money is just like what everyone understands in daily life. Money is money and can buy things."
The critical moment came. Han Du paused and swallowed, "But for the imperial court, money is no longer money, but a tool, a tool for deploying materials."
"Tool?" This statement was too new and too advanced. Zhu Biao couldn't react at all, and it was difficult to understand Han Du's statement. However, he still did not interrupt Han Du and let him continue.
Memorize the word 'tool' first.
"I will give you an example, and your Highness will understand."
Han Du cleared his throat and continued: "With such a family, does Your Highness think that this family is rich if it has twenty taels of silver, or does it mean that this family is rich if it has one thousand catties of grain, twenty catties of meat, and two pieces of cloth?"
"Well, they seem to be about the same, right? You can buy these things with twenty taels of silver." Zhu Biao was puzzled. He didn't know why Han Du found two similar ones and asked him to choose which one was richer.
Han Du smiled, "Your Highness is talking about the situation where this family can buy things with money. What if this family has nothing to buy?"
Zhu Biao's pupils suddenly shrank, as if he had tasted Han Du's meaning.
"So what if I have twenty taels of silver? In my opinion, this is not as good as another one. Gold, pearls and jade can't be eaten when hungry, and can't be drunk when thirsty. Let alone twenty taels, even if it is a mountain of gold and silver, there is no one."
A bowl of hot rice is important. Your Highness, look at it, does the Ming Dynasty look like a common people? If there is not enough food, meat, and cloth, then even if the Ming Dynasty holds mountains of gold and silver, it will not be able to exchange for anything that can satisfy its hunger.
Your Highness, look around the Ming Dynasty. Is there any country in this circle that can provide the Ming Dynasty with enough food, meat, and cloth for the Ming Dynasty to buy with money?"
Needless to say, there is not one.
What is the size of the Ming Dynasty, and what are the sizes of the surrounding countries?
"So, for the imperial court, food, meat, cloth and other things are wealth and money, and they are definitely not silver or banknotes. If the Ming Dynasty wants to be rich, it should not place its hopes on silver and banknotes.
Instead, we should devote ourselves to thinking of ways to increase the production of grain, meat, and cloth. Only when these things increase can the country be truly wealthy."
The examples Han Du gave are naturally very crude, but the words are crude and the reasoning is not crude.
Zhu Biao listened as if he was enlightened. Many things that had been seen in the fog in the past suddenly became clearer.
"Listening to your words is better than ten years of studying. I have learned a lesson." Zhu Biao stood up and bowed to Han in a solemn manner.
"Your Highness, you must not do this." How dare Han Du accept Zhu Biao's courtesy? He quickly stood up from the chair and hid aside.
After Zhu Biao stopped insisting, Han Du explained with a flattering smile, "I just said it casually. Your Highness just needs to understand. There is no need to be so solemn."
It was really scary to worship him as soon as he came. Han Du couldn't bear this kind of fright. For the sake of his own life, he had better leave quickly.
"Your Highness, remember to send the money to the Baochao Lisu Department. Also, don't forget to recruit civilian husbands. I have other matters to attend to, so I will leave first."