As soon as it dawned that morning, the yamen of the Baobao Exchange Department in the north of the city was already crowded with people. The notice three days ago that allowed the exchange of gold coins was posted all over the capital. Countless people were alarmed by this simple imperial edict. Although most of them
The small businessmen were not rich, but they still gritted their teeth and took the risk of being short of funds to sort out all the precious coins on hand. After the curfew was lifted, they rushed to queue up. "If the money is really not enough by then, the worst possible outcome is to exchange gold coins for them."
Turn it into pieces of silver or precious coins.' Many people think this way.
When the yamen was about to open, the officials who came on duty were already mentally prepared, but they were also startled by this posture. They hurriedly walked into the yamen, straightened their official uniforms, and took the gold coins they had received yesterday.
Check it again and give the order to open the door when the time comes.
As the door opened, the people outside rushed in. The officer responsible for maintaining order waved a big stick and shouted: "Don't crowd, don't crowd, everyone has a share, this is not afternoon."
I'm afraid that I won't be able to get in line. How could I not be able to get in line at this time? Hey, I told you not to squeeze in, why are you still crowded? Are you looking for a fight?"
As the sound of waving wooden sticks sounded, the crowd finally restored order and lined up in six columns inside the door, waiting to exchange gold coins. Although some people still tried to jump in the queue, the stick in the hands of the treasure banknote exchange department officer did not recognize anyone and was beaten.
After a few times, I figured out how to do it, and I just queued up at the back.
As the sky gets brighter, more and more people come to queue, many of whom are servants of big merchants or officials. They are very unhappy about being so far back in the queue, but they dare not cause trouble in this place today.
After thinking about it, I turned around and left to exchange money elsewhere. Didn’t the news a few days ago say that all temples and Taoist banks in the capital can also exchange money? Why are you crowded here? But most people don’t know why.
The idea is that we are still queuing here, and the queue is getting longer and longer. With so many people queuing, there are always people they know well, and the guards don’t care what they say, as long as they don’t open their mouths and curse, everyone starts chatting.
"I've met Mr. Tang. Hello, Mr. Tang!" the tall and thin man who surrounded Zhang Mucheng for questioning a few days ago said to the person behind him.
"Okay!" Tang Bohe agreed casually.
"Master Tang, just send one of your servants to queue up to exchange gold coins. Why are you here in person?" the man said.
"Old Zhang, I don't have many servants at home. They all have jobs and can't spare any time. It just so happened that I had nothing to do this morning, so I came over to line up. Old Zhang, why did you come so late?" Tang Bohe asked.
. He only runs his own Shandong noodle shop now. Although the business is booming, there are not many people in the morning. His mother-in-law sees that it is enough; but the business run by the person he calls Lao Zhang, whose nickname is Zhang Shiquan, is a busy time in the morning.
, how much business will be wasted by queuing here?
"Hey, don't mention it. I got angry last night because my child couldn't study well. I didn't sleep well at night and woke up a little late in the morning." Zhang Shiquan looked regretful. He had to waste less money this morning.
How much.
"Why don't you go to a temple, a Taoist temple, or a bank to exchange for gold coins? Didn't the imperial court's announcement a few days ago say that temples, Taoist temples, and pawnshops can also exchange gold coins?" Tang Bohe asked.
"I always feel uneasy. Although it is a large temple near the capital, the people in the shop are not monks or Taoist priests. What if I don't use the gold coins issued by the court, but the gold coins I cast privately that are not good enough?
What to do? The government is a government after all, and there have been no mistakes in exchanging grain in the past few years." Zhang Shiquan said. He still felt that the government was more trustworthy.
"Why would a temple or a Taoist temple do such a thing and destroy its signboard?"
"That's impossible to say."
"But there are too many people queuing up." Tang Bohe raised his head and glanced forward. He saw that there must be at least several hundred people in the queue in front of him. If he continued queuing, he might have to stay here for half a day. Although he was free,
But I don’t want to wait in line under the sun for so long.
"Forget it, just wait in line here, I'll go find the banker to exchange." Tang Bohe took a few more glances and saw that the team was moving slowly, and he became more and more sure of his guess. Although he also felt that the government was more trustworthy, but
I don’t want to continue queuing up.
"This," Zhang Shiquan hesitated. He didn't believe in temples or Taoist temples, but lining up here would delay his business too much.
"Okay," Tang Bohe also noticed his hesitation and advised again: "Even if temples and Taoist temples want to deceive people, they won't do it right from the beginning."
"Okay, I will also go to the bank to exchange." After hearing this, Zhang Shiquan made up his mind to go to a bank to exchange with him.
The two of them immediately left here together and walked towards the nearest bank.
"Ahead, just after passing the corner, there is a Zhengtong Bank, but it is not a temple, it is opened by a Taoist temple, so it should not be able to exchange gold coins. Turn over and walk a block away, and there is a Hesheng Bank, opened by Qixia Temple, which can exchange gold coins." As he walked.
, Tang Bohe introduced.
"Mr. Tang, you are quite familiar with this." Zhang Shiquan said with a smile.
"My family does this kind of business and often has to deal with banks. So we are familiar with it." Tang Bohe said with a smile.
'I'm afraid it's your family that does a lot of business and needs to deal with banks.' Zhang Shiquan didn't say anything after hearing this, but he thought in his heart. Because of the large volume of purchases, Tang Bohe's family no longer buys directly from farmers.
, they were all bought from "Shi Ya", even the treasure notes were a bit inconvenient, and they were all traded using banknotes issued by a certain bank. The banknotes at this time were not considered currency, and were equivalent to the big coins of later generations.
It is a check, so only those who do large business can use it, but ordinary businessmen do not need it.
Zhang Shiquan thought like this, turned the corner, and was about to continue rushing to Hesheng Bank. Suddenly he saw a lot of people gathered in front of the Zhengtong Bank not far away. He was a little surprised and said: "Mr. Tang, look, Zhengtong Bank
There are so many people in front of the door, does this bank also allow the exchange of treasure banknotes for gold coins?"
"It shouldn't be. If gold coins are also allowed to be exchanged, it should have been written on the notice two days ago." Tang Bohe said doubtfully. As he spoke, he walked towards Zhengtong Bank.
"Sir, what's going on? Could it be that Zhengtong Bank can exchange treasure banknotes for gold coins?" Tang Bohe asked a person gathered nearby.
"Where can I exchange treasure banknotes for gold coins?" The man said, "Someone from the Yamen came and said they wanted to check whether their family has the qualifications to open a bank."
"What does the word 'qualification' mean?" Tang Bohe was puzzled.
"I don't know, that's what the policeman who came to check just now said. From what the policeman said, he probably meant it was a nest egg," the man said.
"Woben?" Tang Bohe exclaimed in surprise. Woben is a thing invented by Zhu Yuanzhang, which is roughly equivalent to a franchise right in later generations. Any business that implements the Woben system does not allow people without a Woben to operate. It is against the law.
The maximum penalty for offenders is death and the exile of the whole family. The most famous industry that implements the nest system is the salt industry. Countless salt merchants with nest rights have made a fortune.
‘Is it possible that in the future the imperial court will also implement the nest-based system for banks and pawnshops?’ He secretly guessed.
Just as he was thinking about it, several people in police uniforms came out of it. Among them, the ninth-grade man, who was wearing a uniform similar to that of a civilian military attache, said to the owner of Qianzhuang who followed him out in a low voice: "According to the new regulations of the imperial court,
According to the regulations, merchants with insufficient qualifications are not allowed to operate banks or pawnshops. Your family does not have sufficient qualifications and will no longer be able to operate banks or pawnshops in the future. Fortunately, I looked at your family’s accounts and the warehouse, and the money on hand is enough to offset
If you owe a debt, you are required to settle the account within three days and sell the store or use it for other businesses. We will check again after three days. If you still dare to continue operating, don't blame us for not reminding you."
"Sir, please be kind to me. My family has been running a pawn shop twenty years ago, and later it was converted into a bank. We only run this business and nothing else. If my family is closed down, what will we eat in the future? Please be kind to me."
As he said this, the owner of the bank stretched out his left hand as if to pull Zheng Zheng, but deliberately let Zheng's fingers touch the palm of his hand, which revealed a few treasure notes.
Unexpectedly, there was a flash of joy on Na Suozheng's face, but it turned into a stern look in an instant. He grabbed the owner's left hand and pulled it over, while shouting loudly: "How dare you bribe the police? Don't you know that we are the current emperor?"
The yamen that I personally established after taking the throne? It has always been praised by His Majesty and other important officials in the imperial court. How can I accept your bribe?"
"Come here, take the owner of this bank back to the police station and keep him in the shackles for an hour!" Suo Zheng took the money out of his hand again and continued: "This is a fine of silver!"
The boss did not expect that the bribe would not only have no effect, but he would be fettered for an hour. He was so shocked that he did not dare to do anything else, but just begged; his family members also rushed out to beg Suozheng.
"Well, since you only have one male in your family, it would really be inconvenient to have him shackles. According to the latest regulations of the imperial court, minor offenses that do not go to jail can be offset by fines. Your shackles for one hour will cost you
I'll be fined two ounces of silver." Suo Zheng said.
The owner was quite distressed. He had just had dozens of coins confiscated, and now he had to pay a fine of two coins. But he couldn't do it even if he didn't pay. He could only endure the pain and let his wife take out two coins from the store.
Correct.
So Zheng took the money, weighed it twice, let go of his boss's hand, and said: "Remember, we will come back for inspection three days later, which is the fourth day of June, and we will no longer be able to operate it by then." Then he took the two men with him.
The three little policemen left.
Everyone around was shocked by the scene. Did the police do the right thing or wrong? "I think the police did the right thing. They gave and took bribes. Of course the officials who took the bribes were guilty, but the bribers were also guilty, and it was right to remove them from the shackles."
." "But in the end, it was fined?" "That's because the court has regulations that can be offset by fines." "But..." Everyone started talking.
But amidst the discussion, a chuckle sounded from the edge of the crowd, and then he said: "This Souzheng is really a talent." (To be continued)