When he was tired from the inspection, Lao Liu took a rest in the renovated water pavilion by the lake.
The water pavilion is built across the water and is half submerged in the water. It is surrounded by lotus ponds on three sides, willow waves on four sides, small bridges and flowing water, and lotus flowers are fragrant. People sitting there feel like they are in a painting.
Open the windows on three sides, and the cool breeze will blow in, and the heat of summer will disappear. Drinking herbal tea and eating iced fruits, the midsummer in the south of the Yangtze River will only be beautiful.
"Where did you talk about before?" King Chu asked Li Heng, Gu Yuanchen and others.
"Back to Your Highness, the running crisis should have subsided." Li Heng replied quickly.
"It's a temporary lull." Zhu Zhen emphasized: "The people trust us and are willing to give us one year. But if we can't solve it within one year, our credit will be ruined."
"Yes." Everyone nodded in agreement: "This year, the burden is still very heavy."
"First of all, can the ban on gold and silver circulation be lifted?" Li Heng asked.
"Don't worry about this." Zhu Zhen said calmly: "I said that gold and silver are naturally currencies, and it is impossible for ordinary people to deny gold and silver at any time. The imperial ban has long been in vain over the years."
"Yes. Putting treasure banknotes, food stamps, and silver in front of them, everyone will choose the latter." Shen Rong and others couldn't help laughing, and they also contributed to this. Every year, a large amount of silver flows into the country through overseas trade, and naturally It has been put into circulation, and I have never heard of anyone rejecting it. I wish they would pay in gold and silver.
"So, the so-called ban is just a piece of paper. If it is not abolished, why keep it?" His Highness King Chu said domineeringly: "You don't have to worry about this matter, I will take care of it myself."
After a pause, he added: "In addition, I would like to take this opportunity to simply separate the invoice business from the Weaving and Dyeing Bureau."
"Oh?" Everyone hurriedly listened attentively. "Does Your Highness want to split up the weaving and dyeing bureau?"
"The Dyeing and Weaving Bureau will not move, we will only transfer the business." Lao Liu explained: "It's very simple. We will set up another institution that is responsible for invoices and acceptance. It may be called a bank or the invoice number. In short, this institution will Another kind of ticket is issued, and it is called a silver note first."
"The food stamps in the hands of ordinary people can be exchanged for banknotes at a bank or bank account according to the proportion we promised." He continued: "At the same time, the Weaving and Dyeing Bureau will no longer issue food stamps, so the transfer is completed."
"That's the truth." A large number of Jiangnan's wealthy people nodded after hearing this. They probably understood His Highness's intention of doing this.
"This has many benefits," the King of Chu said in detail: "After all, the Dyeing and Weaving Bureau is not a professional organization, and it does not have a semicolon, which makes it inconvenient to exchange food stamps and has poor circulation."
"If you set up a professional bank or bank, you can set up branch offices to make it easier for people to exchange money. Moreover, banknotes sound more like money than food stamps. If we want banknotes to be popular all over the world, this step of reform is essential. "
"Yes, yes, yes." All the big players nodded in agreement.
"Of course, your rights and interests will be transferred from the Dyeing and Weaving Bureau to this bank. Including the previous 20 million taels, and this time the 30 million taels of silver. I will give you two choices." Zhu Zhen stretched out his two hands. finger:
"The first one is a long-term bank bond, and I will pay you annual interest. The other one can also be converted into bank shares. We share the risks and profits. You can go back and think about it yourself."
"Of course we have to share the risk with His Highness." Everyone said without thinking.
"Haha, you all think so?" Lao Liu couldn't help but smile.
"Of course." How could a group of big investors let go of this excellent opportunity to become shareholders of a future bank? It may also be the only opportunity?
"Well, I will reserve shares for you, and we will discuss the details later." Lao Liu was also very happy. Currently, his focus has shifted to overseas management, which cannot be separated from the strong support of these big Jiangnan households.
They were tied tightly to the chariot and the door had to be welded shut.
After a pleasant conversation, Zhu Zhen said goodbye: "Now that the matter has been resolved for the time being, if there is nothing else, I will return to Beijing. Maybe I can catch up with my father's celebration banquet."
"Your Highness, can you stay one more day?" Gu Yuanchen stood up and bowed at the signal of everyone: "Tomorrow is the day when our first furnace of porcelain will be opened..."
"Oh? Has it finally been officially put into production?" Lao Liu said happily after hearing this: "Then I must join in the fun."
"That's great. Cheng Huishou and the others are all looking forward to His Highness going to open the kiln himself." Gu Yuanchen and others were very happy.
The overall introduction of the porcelain industry from Jingdezhen to Suzhou was of great significance, and the difficulties were much greater than expected. They worked hard and finally overcame many difficulties and came to the day of victory. Of course, I hope your highness will come to witness their success.
.
~~
On the way out of the palace, Zhu Zhen deliberately left the team and walked around Shantang Street outside the palace incognito.
I saw that Qili Shantang was already lined with shops, all kinds of businesses gathered together, and all kinds of signboards were dazzling.
"No one thought that Shantang Street would rise so quickly, and in two years it would catch up with Guanqian Street." Li Heng, who accompanied him, said with emotion: "Young Master really has the Midas touch to turn stone into gold."
"I don't dare to take credit. Shantang Street connects the canal to Suzhou. It's such a good location. It was originally very prosperous, but it was temporarily quiet during the war years." Zhu Zhen shook his head and smiled: "As long as there is some sunshine, it will be brilliant."
"It's true, in the past few years, the palace has been built, and three thousand craftsmen have eaten and bought things, which has made this place prosperous in a short time." Wang De laughed and said: "I don't know if the palace will still be so prosperous after the construction is completed.
"
"Yes." Li Heng said with a smile: "Who among the big families in Suzhou City doesn't want to be close to His Highness? They have all bought land near Shantang Street and are planning to build houses, which will be enough for the shops on the street to prosper for a few more years. How many more years will it take?
After the new year, His Highness and other wealthy families will move to this area, so there is no need to worry."
"Aren't they afraid that this area will no longer be protected by city walls?" Lao Liu said with a smile.
More than ten years after the founding of the People's Republic of China, Shantang Street still has few people and few shops. The important reason is that there are frequent Japanese pirates in Jiangnan, and no one with a family and business wants to live outside the city.
"Of course I'm not afraid anymore. Your Highness has destroyed Japan. How can there be any Japanese pirates in the future?" Everyone laughed and said, "Living with the patron saint of the people in Jiangnan makes me feel at ease."
"Hahaha, you guys." Lao Liu said deliberately: "But I have to remind you that this time we only captured Kyushu Island, not Honshu Island, which accounts for the majority."
"Then there might be Japanese pirates?" As expected, the big family members looked tense, and then laughed again: "Your Highness is teasing us. The army has returned in triumph, and the Japanese pirate problem must have been solved."
"Oh, you guys are getting harder and harder to deceive." Zhu Zhen also laughed loudly and said: "Yes, Japan has stopped going to the sea. Of course, if the Japanese pirates can swim over, then there will be another
Don’t worry about it!”
"Hahaha!" Everyone's laughter echoed throughout Shantang Street.
