"The person in charge of state-owned industries such as salt, iron, coal, cement, paper, ceramics, including road construction are also officials. Their rank is the same as local officials, or half a grade lower. No one will have any objection if they are transferred there, and these official positions are very
He will have less contact with local civilians and will not directly govern them."
In fact, not only will everyone not have any objections, but they will also be very happy. Although these state-owned industries have little power, they have a lot of money.
"The same will be true for promotions in the future. Under the same conditions, officials from the home country will be promoted first. After a long time, everyone will truly integrate into the Zhao Kingdom and they will be treated equally." Wei Wuji said.
"Does Qing Xun have anything to add?" Zhao Kuo looked at Xunzi.
"I have nothing else to add." Xunzi shook his head and said.
"Then do as Lord Xinling said." Seeing that Xunzi didn't add anything, Zhao Kuo immediately nodded and agreed, "We will make adjustments after the court meeting."
Although Zhao Guo has always emphasized treating everyone equally, in fact, it is impossible to truly treat everyone equally regardless of subjective or objective conditions.
"No." Wei Wuji said.
"In the future, please ask Lord Xinling to continue to check for leaks and fill up the vacancies." Zhao Kuo saluted and said solemnly. If there was no Lord Xinling this time, he might not realize it until the conflict broke out.
…
After a while, everyone had lunch, rested for a while, and returned to the main hall again.
"The meeting continues. Article 15: Loans will be established in all counties and counties across the country to help the distressed people. The interest will be divided into two cents and labor will be allowed to repay." Zhao Kuo read out.
Loans, or usury, have long been rampant in various countries. From the government, to the nobility, to businessmen, they are lending money everywhere, severely exploiting and eroding the interests and even lives of farmers.
"Peasants thaw and plow, nou their backs, and have no food to accumulate millet." And merchants "do not have the labor of pushing the plow, but they have food to accumulate millet."
Xunzi also believed that "if there are many industrial and commercial people, the country will be poor." We should "save merchants and use more farmers."
However, businessmen have their own value. Although they will bring some harm, they can also bring a lot of benefits. Management can be strengthened, but it should not be suppressed.
In addition to merchants, nobles and officials were also the main moneylenders.
Mengchang Juntianwen once extended loan sharking in Xuedi, and he could receive "one hundred thousand in interest" at one time.
In the Qin State, if one could not repay the loan in time, he would be imprisoned and forced to perform labor service, which was equivalent to eight qian per day. If he ate official meals, it was equivalent to six qian.
This is not wages, but to offset loan sharking. If you owe a lot, not only will you not be able to pay back the money in the end, but people will also borrow money from you.
If the Qin State could really give eight qian a day, a lot of people would have gone to work. You must know that one stone of grain only costs about 30 yuan, and you can buy one stone of grain after working for three or four days.
In this era, farmers' ability to withstand risks was extremely low. A drought or flood could bankrupt an entire family. Nobles and businessmen took advantage of farmers' poverty to raise food prices, and then provided loans to them to buy high-priced food.
When the grain is harvested, they suppress the price of grain, make farmers sell the grain at a low price, and give them loans.
The actual interest has already exceeded the originally set amount, and if it is not enough, it can only be compounded, and eventually the land, wife, children, and myself are sold.
In the name of lending money, they commit cannibalism.
A large number of farmers lost their land and became tenants, slaves and refugees.
This kind of thing happens frequently in various countries. Zhao Kuo can guarantee that many of the people here are moneylenders, including those at the level of Five Dukes and Twelve Ministers.
If you have some conscience, you will get three to four points of profit; if you have no conscience, you will get double the profit.
But loans cannot be banned directly. They can sometimes help some people tide over the crisis. If they were canceled directly, farmers who could have relied on loans for one or two more years would not be able to survive even one year now.
Moreover, cutting off people's money is like killing their parents. If all of them were to be killed directly, everyone would definitely unite to resist. Even if Zhao Kuo had a large army in hand, it would cause some turmoil.
However, loan sharking must not continue, so Zhao Kuo chose to set up an official loan, with interest rates fixed at two cents.
With two-cent interest loans, people will naturally stop borrowing those high-interest loans. Similarly, if the nobles still want to make money by borrowing money, they can still make money as long as the official interest rate is not too high.
Of course, it is impossible to get rich suddenly.
"Official loans are limited to agricultural loans for the time being. Anyone with household registration can borrow grain seeds, farm tools, and cattle from the local county government. In addition to the loan principal, the interest will be calculated based on the market price at the time of loan. Other loans will be opened in the future.
"
"In addition, in the past, for any loan that exceeded three cents of interest, the borrower had the right not to repay the excess. In other words, the maximum interest rate should not exceed three cents. Anyone who forcibly recovers the excess will be punished with robbery." Zhao Kuo
Said in a deep voice.
Everyone who had been calm before suddenly changed their expressions when they heard this. This meant that not only would their money be less in the future, but even their current money would be less.
Looking at Zhao Kuo, who was sitting at the top, and the biggest 'lenders' in Zhao State in the front rows, they seemed to see the yellow gold leaving them.
"Your Majesty, borrowing and lending is a private matter. It depends on your own volition. The merchant does not force the borrower to borrow money, so why does the court want to restrict it?" Finally, someone stood up.
"If I remember correctly, you are the county magistrate of Jinyang." Zhao Kuo put down the document and looked at the official in front of him and said.
Although the official position of the county magistrate is not high, due to the special nature of Jinyang, his actual status is far above other counties, second only to the county.
According to the planned list, this Jinyang County Magistrate will also be promoted to Taiyuan County Magistrate.
"Your Majesty, this official is the county magistrate of Jinyang." Zhao Pu raised his hands and said.
"Have you lent money to farmers?" Zhao Kuo asked calmly.
Zhao Pu looked a little flustered and said hastily: "Your Majesty, I have not lent money to farmers."
"In that case, then you don't have to worry about this matter. If the merchant has any objections, let the merchant speak to me. I have always been open to the public. Even if the merchant comes to me, I will personally meet him." A trace of sarcasm appeared on Zhao Kuo's lips.
, said with a wave of his hand.
If Zhao Pu admits it openly, Zhao Kuo will look at him favorably. As long as he does good things in the future, the position of Taiyuan County Magistrate will still be his.
Now I want to fight for my own interests, but I don't even have the courage to take risks. This will be the case for the rest of my life.
Zhao Kuo silently gave him a cross in his heart. He didn't even bother to argue and simply suppressed him based on his status.
"Who else has an opinion? You can stand up and say it directly." Zhao Kuo glanced below and asked loudly.
No one stood up.
"In this case, it means that everyone agrees on this matter. If I later find that someone has violated the law, don't blame me for ignoring the feelings of the king and his subjects." Zhao Kuo said in a deep voice.