Chapter 177: Ming Dynasty Royal Treasure Department
Zhu Yuanzhang did not expect that he was originally trying to persuade Da Sun, but now, he was persuaded by Da Sun instead.
"Why do we feel that we have a similar feeling?"
Zhu Yuanzhang was suddenly confused and thought to himself. It took him a while to think about it before he remembered it.
In his original countermeasures against the Japanese state, he once asked Rujun, Minister of the Ministry of War, to meet with Dasun, hoping to extinguish Dasun's desire to invade the Japanese state.
However, the final result was that even Ru Shangshu was persuaded by Da Sun, and he vowed that the Japanese country has been a Chinese territory since ancient times, and its classics can be checked and its history can be found.
For the sake of Master's reputation, for the rich silver mines in Japan, even things like the origin of Japan from Da Qin came up...
It is also enough to make people speechless.
Today, all this seems to be happening again, and I seem to be moved by what my eldest grandson said.
Zhu Yuanzhang was still a little unwilling. Even if he felt that Da Sun's reasons were very sufficient, he still had to give him a few words of encouragement.
Just opening his mouth, Zhu Yuanzhang found that he didn't know where to start. It seemed that nothing he could say was enough to refute Da Sun.
Just when he was recalling the loopholes in Da Sun's words, Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes suddenly lit up, he looked at Zhu Ying and said with a smile:
"Well, your eldest grandson, we didn't realize it just now. He went in such a big circle and brought us all in. It's amazing, it's really amazing."
Only now did Zhu Yuanzhang realize that Da Sun had set a big trap in his previous conversation.
First, he showed his financial strength and spent more money and food than the Ministry of Household Affairs of the Ming Dynasty to provide disaster relief, so that he could impress him, and then he took the opportunity to propose sharing the land.
Of course, he knew the benefits of dividing a small family into a small family. After the small tax was abolished, people no longer had to worry about childbearing, and the Ming Dynasty's population would experience a surge.
When he raised objections, he produced high-yielding crops to fill the vacancies in the Ming Dynasty's treasury and significantly reduce the existence of famine.
Coupled with the matchlock gun developed earlier, this can be said to be a two-pronged approach.
"We just have to fight. According to the current output of matchlock guns, I'm afraid we won't even be able to assemble a team by next spring." Zhu Yuanzhang added. He didn't say where he was going to fight, but Zhu Yuanzhang believed that Da Sun would definitely understand what he meant.
Zhu Ying replied: "Sun'er has sent many carpenters from the war bureau to dismantle and transform the matchlock gun, similar to making arrows. In this regard, Sun'er already has a general idea in his mind."
"If it goes well, the output of matchlock guns will be greatly improved, and the quality will be maintained."
Zhu Ying's words were full of confidence. After seeing the making of arrows, he already understood that the Ming Dynasty had a deep foundation. It would not be difficult to make them with a simple lathe. It was just a matter of thinking.
The specific production of lathes can only be left to carpenters. Regarding lathes, Zhu Ying only knew a vague idea and had never actually used them.
However, with the carpenter's wisdom, it would not be difficult even if he thought about it.
"If such firecrackers can be made on a large scale, they will naturally become powerful firearms in the army."
"Everything about the matchlock gun is the most important secret nowadays. In this regard, Da Sun still needs to pay more attention to it."
"We will issue another edict. From today onwards, the Gunpowder Department will be completely closed. No one is allowed to enter or exit without an order from the great grandson or me."
Zhu Yuanzhang added that from the moment he saw the matchlock fired, he understood that the appearance of the matchlock would cause changes in the entire world.
When used on the battlefield, omissions will inevitably occur. There is no way to avoid this. The only way is to create as many as possible.
"Grandpa is right. My grandson wants to set up a separate department to develop and build firearms within the Gunpowder Department, including later improvements to the matchlock gun, purification of gunpowder power, and a series of related matters."
Zhu Ying said smoothly that the upgrade of matchlock guns to flintlock guns, the upgrade of muzzleloaders to rear-loading guns, and even the development and use of smokeless gunpowder can all be achieved in our lifetime.
Like a matchlock to a musket, it's a huge leap in terms of firearms.
The matchlock is very restricted in rainy days. When it rains, it is almost abandoned and can only be used as a wooden stick.
Moreover, the match rope is an uncomfortable consumable. Generally speaking, before preparing for a battle, the match rope needs to be ignited in advance, and the match rope must be burning continuously during the entire fighting period.
This is very expensive, so when the matchlock gun is actually used on the battlefield, the user estimates that he will have to wrap a few rounds of matchlock around his body to use it.
In addition, because their bodies are full of match ropes and gunpowder, as well as open flames, the fire commander must keep a sufficient distance beforehand. If he accidentally lights his teammate's fire, he will only receive a cool song.
The flintlock gun is completely different. The flint is struck to generate sparks, which then ignites the powder chamber. It can be used in ordinary light rain. It may not be usable in heavy downpour, but compared to the matchlock gun, the level is completely different.
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Moreover, using the Suifa Gun, the Fire Gun Soldiers can be gathered much denser, and the speed of reloading and firing is also faster.
It seems that Zhu Ying should skip the matchlock gun and directly manufacture the Suifa gun. In fact, in terms of industry, it is currently impossible to manufacture the Suifa gun.
In other words, it cannot achieve the true meaning of firing a gun.
The trigger device used in the matchlock guns manufactured by the Gunpowder Department today is of wooden structure.
It can be understood that it moves away like a seesaw, but when the trigger is pressed, the burning match rope is lifted up and sent to the gunpowder department for ignition.
To fire the gun, a strong spring force is needed to ensure that the flint can hit sparks and trigger the powder chamber.
This spring alone has no industrial foundation and is completely made by hand. The difficulty is beyond imagination. You don't even have to think about mass production.
Moreover, the purification of flint is also a problem. Even the lighters of later generations cannot light a fire every time, and the same cannot be said about the current flint.
If you can hit a spark successfully once in five or six strokes, it is considered good.
Making a flint firing device is many times more difficult than carving smooth rifling into the barrel of a gun. The quantity cannot keep up, and it depends on luck before you can shoot it.
Compared with matchlock guns, which are simple, fast and mass-produced, their significance in the military is very different.
Although the match rope is easy to consume, it is not difficult to make, and it can shoot stably, so you will not have to try your luck and have the embarrassing situation of misfiring even after firing several shots.
For the matchlock gun, we only need to solve the problems of the barrel and smooth rifling. The other parts and processes are all ready, and the manufacturing speed will not be slower than the previous firelock.
It is not difficult to manufacture fire cartridge cases. Once the mold is formed, cartridge cases and bullets can be mass-produced and granular gunpowder is poured into them.
Just like rockets ascending to the sky in later generations, after the powder chamber provides thrust, the gunpowder particles in the fire bomb shell can also provide a second stage of acceleration, doubling the power.
After the simple lathe was built, the caliber of the matchlocks was unified, and the matchlocks were equipped on a large scale in the army very quickly.
Time was still very tight, and what Zhu Ying wanted most was to have at least a 3,000-strong matchlock team when he attacked Japan in the spring of next year.
With enough gunpowder, you can imagine what it felt like to crush Japanese soldiers.
"In terms of firearms, Dasun, you know more than us. We can't help you much with matchlocks. We support whatever you want to do. Go ahead and do it boldly. If you need money, I'll ask the Bank to give it to you."
You can make as many or as little as you like."
Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand and said boldly, food is more difficult, but treasure money, you can have as much money as you want.
I have already thought about it in my mind. When the time comes, I will directly get a few 100,000-guan notes to give to my grandson. Is there any need to worry about lack of money?
When Zhu Ying heard this, she was heart-warmed and a little speechless at the same time. However, although the current Ming Dynasty treasure banknotes depreciate quickly, they still have credibility.
Even the overdraft potential will not be said to be abolished in a few decades. It can be used boldly now.
Zhu Ying also had the confidence to move the issue of depreciation of treasure notes outside the Ming Dynasty. After thinking about it for a moment, Zhu Ying still suggested:
"Grandpa, although the value of the treasure banknotes is not sufficient at present, we can still find ways to increase it."
Zhu Yuanzhang heard this and asked: "Does the great grandson have any clever ideas?"
At this moment, in Zhu Yuanzhang's mind, his eldest grandson, like Liu Bei's Zhuge Liang, seemed to be able to think of a solution to any problem.
Now Zhu Yuanzhang feels slightly numb to his eldest grandson's unique talents.
"The biggest problem with treasure banknotes now is that they are still being recycled. They are not as durable as real gold and silver. Therefore, Sun'er thinks that treasure banknotes departments can be established in various counties and cities to specialize in the acceptance and exchange of treasure banknotes."
"Even if the treasure banknotes in the hands of ordinary people are somewhat damaged, they can go to the Bao Banknote Department to exchange the old ones for new ones. In this way, the public's trust in the treasure banknotes will increase, and the purchasing power of the treasure banknotes will naturally be strengthened."
“While exchanging old ones for new ones, you can also open the way to exchange your treasure banknotes for silver, which can increase the credibility of your banknotes.”
Zhu Ying said naturally that Zhu Ying was very familiar with these bank stuff in later generations. Who could have never dealt with a bank?
There are not just one or two people who have been deceived by banks. Now that it is applied to the Ming Dynasty, it is basically copied.
The emergence of banknotes will completely allow the government to set up official institutions similar to banks, squeezing out all the banks currently on the market.
When Zhu Yuanzhang heard that the treasure notes were exchanged for silver, his face turned dark immediately.
Printing a large amount of treasure banknotes made Zhu Yuanzhang feel very happy, but when the treasure banknotes were exchanged for silver, Zhu Yuanzhang felt uncomfortable, which meant that treasure banknotes could not be printed casually.
"What if everyone comes to exchange treasure banknotes for silver, and the treasury cannot get so much silver?" Zhu Yuanzhang said in confusion. This is the most obvious problem.
Hearing this, Zhu Ying immediately laughed.
"Don't worry, grandpa, they won't and won't dare."
Zhu Yuanzhang argued: "How can you not dare? There will definitely be many people taking a large amount of treasure notes to exchange for silver."
"We once stipulated that one tael of silver would be equivalent to one tael of silver. Although it is not stated clearly now, the things that can be purchased with one tael of silver require two taels of treasure."
"Calculated this way, once the treasure banknotes can be exchanged for silver, the people are not fools and will definitely exchange them."
"At that time, it won't matter if we really change it, or if we don't change it, it won't matter."
Zhu Ying still had a smile on his face when he heard this, and explained: "The exchange of treasure banknotes is naturally based on the situation of the day. Nowadays, two taels of treasure banknotes are only worth one tael of silver, so it is naturally exchanged for one tael of silver."
"The amount of the exchange is not static. It can be adjusted by the Baochao Department based on market conditions, and it just needs to be in line with the exchange price in the market at that time."
"As for the problem of bank runs, it is easier to solve. All we need to do is set a rule in the Banknote Department. Any exchange of more than thirty taels of silver must provide proof of the purpose of the silver and its purpose."
"Those who cannot prove the purpose of the silver and the purpose will not be exchanged and must be investigated to prevent the possibility of collaborating with the enemy and treason."
"Even scholars, farmers, industry and commerce, officials and ordinary people can use their household registration to deposit silver into the local banknote department and open a personal household registration account, and banknotes can also be deposited in it."
"If you deposit it, you will receive a certain amount of profit. It can be divided into several levels of accounts. For example, for smaller accounts, the upper limit of the deposit is one hundred taels, which is only a few copper coins a year."
"Those with higher caps will naturally need to pay more fees. Those who pay higher fees can even be given a household registration account certificate. I think many people will be willing to do so."
After Zhu Ying finished speaking calmly, Zhu Yuanzhang was completely confused by this wave of operations.
So it turns out that Baochao can still be played like this? After doing it like this, I feel that Baochao Company makes a lot of money.
Zhu Ying saw the old man's surprised look and knew that the old man was used to the existence of the bank.
Baochaosi is not a bank. It is easy to deposit silver, but it is different to take it out.
To put it simply, if you want to withdraw so much silver at once, what do you want to do? Rebellion? Or run away with the money?
Or, can we also add a crime of unknown origin of large amounts of money?
"The way of business is broad and profound. I feel like a frog in a well. It's just a simple treasure, but it can have so many twists and turns."
"According to Da Sun's approach, Baochao can not only make Baochao more acceptable to the public, but can even earn a lot of profits. The profit from the household registration account alone will probably be more objective every year."
Zhu Yuanzhang sighed and said that it is difficult to come up with this thing, but it is not difficult to understand it.
The reason why Da Sun is so prosperous in business is not just because of those crops. In Zhu Yuanzhang's view, even without those crops, Da Sun would not be much worse than he is now.
"You can also do some loan business. Those high-value loans can do a lot of harm to people, especially in casinos. They often leave and destroy families. It's hard for a family to be destroyed like this."
"The Treasurer shall set the interest rate. No matter what the circumstances of private lending, the interest rate must comply with the government's regulations. If it exceeds the limit, it shall be deemed invalid."
"Let the Ministry of Punishment come up with a charter on what crimes should be punished for those who engage in private usury, and add it to the Ming Law."
Zhu Ying said in a deep voice.
Usury in ancient times was much more ruthless than that of later generations, and many even involved government officials, which can be described as unscrupulous.
It is not as simple as going to the door to collect money. Forcibly kidnapping people and selling children and daughters to pay off debts are not uncommon.
In the business world, Zhu Ying had been working for many years, so these things were commonplace, but she was unable to change them at the time.
Now that we have this ability, we naturally cannot allow those evil forces to do evil and poison the people.