In June of the eighth year of Yuanfeng (the third day of the lunar month).
The internal minister Liang Congzheng was promoted to the defense envoy of Yaojun, and Wu Jingfang was promoted to the regimental training envoy of Yaojun.
This is the so-called ‘secret mailing’.
Not legal, but effective!
The official Zhongsan learned about Jizhou and Wang Lingtu changed his knowledge to Tanzhou.
Shang Shuzuo Cheng and his minister Zhang Dun report: I was ordered to verify the 'bile water immersion copper method' presented by Shen Kuo of the Special Weapons Manufacturing Bureau. Now it has been confirmed that this method can indeed obtain copper! The rate is two kilograms of iron. Forty taels, you get a pound of copper!
As soon as this book was published, the court was shocked.
Right Prime Minister Han Jiang and the newly appointed ruler Lu Gongzhu both looked at him with fiery eyes.
copper!
Isn’t it just money?
For two pounds and four ounces of iron, you can get one pound of copper!
Isn’t it equivalent to exchanging iron for copper?
Han Jiang immediately asked: "Is what Mr. Zhang said true?"
Zhang Dun replied: "I saw it with my own eyes at the Ordnance Manufacturing Bureau..."
"In the past few days, I have been going to the Ordnance Manufacturing Bureau every day to inspect... and I have transferred officials from the province to guard and supervise at all times..."
"Without a doubt! Shen Tiju indeed obtained copper by soaking pig iron in bile water!"
Zhang Dun's answer made all the officials present blush.
Two pounds and four ounces of pig iron are worth one pound of copper?
There are so many copper mines in the world, and how many associated gallstones have been dug out over the years!
The natural bile water streams formed exist in many places.
If these resources are utilized well.
Rather than doubling the world's copper output, it would be good to increase it by one-third, or even just one-fifth.
This is at least a million dollars in financial revenue!
So, everyone was happy.
Han Jiang is even more energetic!
If at least one million more copper coins can flow into the market every year, the price downturn and the income dilemma of rural households can be alleviated to a certain extent.
It should be noted that because money was expensive in the Song Dynasty, from the Qingli era of Renmiao to the present, the price of rice and silk in Bianjing has fluctuated back and forth at the same figure for a long time.
However, after the excitement wears off.
How to deal with this matter has become the key!
Han Jiang thought for a while, then stepped out of the queue with the fluorine and said: "The Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager, Your Majesty the Emperor..."
"How to deal with this matter? Beg for the Holy Judgment!"
Money is so exciting!
Not to mention a million dollars or even more wealth!
Han Jiang knew what was going on in the mines of Song Dynasty.
Local people, powerful people, local gangsters, desperadoes...
They all gather in these places and fight to get rich!
In major mines, a large number of armed fights occur every year!
I don’t know how many people died in the mine!
In most cases, the government can’t even investigate!
Because there is no evidence of death! It was also taken during the rebellion!
Two months ago, wasn't Wu Juhou almost captured alive by the miners from Laiwu Prison?
Although the court tried to whitewash it by saying that Wu Juhou harmed the people twice as much and aroused public anger.
But what kind of people can mobilize thousands of people to besiege the Yamen of the transshipment envoy?
Why did it appear only after the Wu Juhou case?
Everyone is just pretending to be stupid.
The two palaces pondered for a moment, and then the Queen Mother asked: "How is the ancestral system?"
Han Jiang replied: "In the ancestral system, the harvest from the mines all over the world has always been divided into 28 points by the officials and the people. Then the local mine supervisors will buy 5 points at the market price, and the rest are left to the people's discretion!"
The Queen Mother was also surprised: "Is it always like this?"
Han Jiang said: "It's always been like this!"
This is very surprising!
That treacherous minister Wang Anshi was actually willing to let go of this way of making money? Incredible!
"Then how about we still make it?" the Empress Dowager asked tentatively.
Han Jiang bowed and said, "That's exactly what it should be!"
Lu Gongzhu also held the fluorine in his hand and said, "The merciful saint is so gracious, and the people of the world will burst into tears of gratitude!"
Zhang Dun and Zhang Hong remained silent.
Zhao Xu sat on the throne and watched everything.
"Common people?" He laughed. The industries next to the Song Dynasty may actually involve common people.
But this mine?
Where did the common people come from!?
Is this a game that ordinary people can afford to play?
Ordinary people who rush into this asset-heavy, high-investment game will either be shattered to pieces or eaten up with both bones and flesh!
This is a game that only locals and local powerful people can afford to play!
However, Zhao Xu now has a different understanding of the economy and society of the Song Dynasty.
Therefore, he remained silent and listened quietly to the two palaces making their decision.
"Since it is an ancestral system, we should do it according to the ancestral system!" said the Empress Dowager: "I will order Shen Kuo to present the key to the 'gallbladder water soaking method of copper' to the court, and then make it known to all the state and county copper supervisors, and order The supervisor announced his method in the mines under his control! Still using the ancestral system of drawing 28 points and buying five points as the method!"
"I obey the decree!" Han Jiang and Lu Gong held the fluorene and bowed again.
Zhang Dun and Zhang Hong also held fluorene in salute.
…
After retreating from the court, the two palaces embraced Zhao Xu and returned to Baoci Palace.
Soon, Queen Mother Xiang noticed that Zhao Xu seemed to be a little absent-minded.
So he asked: "Sixth Brother, is there something on your mind?"
Zhao Xu nodded.
The Empress Dowager saw this and asked, "What are the officials worried about?"
Zhao Xu smiled sweetly and said: "My grandson is thinking about what I discussed at today's meeting..."
"Um?"
"These days, my grandson, under the guidance of his mother-in-law and his mother-in-law, has been exposed to state affairs. He has seen reports from local prefectures and counties, and often talks about the hardships of the people who benefit from money..."
The Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager both smiled happily as they listened.
This child is indeed a benevolent saint!
Always thinking about the well-being of the people in the world and the suffering of the people!
So, he asked the Queen Mother: "Does my son have any clever ideas?"
Zhao Xu held Empress Dowager Xiang's hand and said, "I heard it said that from ancient times, after three generations of emperors, there is no one who loves the people more than Emperor Wen of Han Dynasty!"
"Emperor Han Wen did light corvee and light taxes, saving punishment and being thrifty..."
"My son also admires him endlessly, and is still willing to imitate him..."
"So just now in the court, I actually wanted to ask for a favor from my mother-in-law and queen mother, but I was worried that what I was thinking was too absurd and violated the law, so I didn't dare to say anything!"
Queen Mother Xiang immediately said: "My son has a heart of benevolence, saintliness and love for the people, that is enough!"
The Queen Mother asked: "The officials want to reconcile with me, what kind of grace does the Queen Mother want?"
Zhao Xu stretched out his hand to hold the hand of the Empress Dowager, holding the two palaces together, and said shyly: "My grandson, tell me, Grandmother, don't laugh at me!"
The Empress Dowager immediately laughed and said: "Let's just talk about the officials! I and the Queen Mother will never laugh at the officials!"
"No one dares to laugh at the officials!"
Officials have a benevolent and saintly heart, even if they are wrong, they are still talented and have a benevolent and saintly nature! People in the world can only praise and be happy!
Where can someone laugh?
Zhao Xu then said: "The grace that my grandson wants is... to ask the mother-in-law and the queen to show favor to the people of the world... to save the people from using the copper obtained by the 'gallbladder soaking method' to turn over the money to the government..." "
"In this way, the people can get more profits and are more willing to produce copper! And the government can also get more copper to mint money. If there is more money in the world, it should also benefit..."
The two palaces listened, looked at each other, and then both reached out and touched Zhao Xu's head.
"It is truly a blessing to the country to have an official who is smart, handsome, and benevolent!" said the Empress Dowager.
Empress Dowager Xiang was even more delighted and said: "My son will definitely be the great emperor Yao and Shun of the Song Dynasty one day!"
Zhao Xu became happy after hearing this: "Mother-in-law and queen mother, do you think my idea is good?"
The two palaces smiled and nodded.
The Empress Dowager even lamented: "The benevolence, saintliness and love for the people among officials are not even matched by Renmiao!"
At least, Renmiao is not willing to make such a large concession to benefit the people!
When the Tea Law was reformed, although the people benefited, the government's interests were harmed, so it was abandoned directly.
Although the two palaces also have some thoughts about giving up good money.
But, for one thing, this 'bile water leaching copper method' is a new mining method.
It is a source of wealth in itself!
The officials wanted to extend their favor and learn from Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty, and the two palaces were willing to give up part of their income to fulfill their wishes.
Second, this was proposed by the officials.
The two palaces, especially the Empress Dowager, knew very well that if she refused, people would say that she was a stingy mother-in-law, which would affect her future status and image in history books!
So, the Empress Dowager asked: "How much tuition fees do the officials want to reduce?"
Zhao Xu smiled and said: "Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty issued edicts many times, ordering the world to pay taxes of thirty to one..."
"If you want to imitate me, why not cut the tuition fee in half!"
The Queen Mother nodded and asked, "What does the Queen Mother think?"
The Empress Dowager thought for a while and said: "The official's intention is very good! I, the Song Dynasty, also don't lack this 10% lesson benefit!"
So the two palaces immediately issued an edict to Zhongshu Province in the name of Zhao Xu, and ordered Zhongshu Sheren to draft an imperial edict to promote the world, reducing the tuition fee of the 'Bile Water Soaking Copper Method' to 10%, but still ordered the local government to
Buy five cents on the Supervisory Officer's blog.
Note: In the Northern Song Dynasty, the mineral tax policy has always been divided into 80% for the government and 80% for the civilians, and 50% for the rest.
Therefore, the Northern Song Dynasty was able to mint so many copper coins - Xining Yuanfengzhong minted more than 100 million copper coins!
