Chapter seven hundred and sixty-one whoever has the highest price
Guo Song pondered for a moment and said: "I have a deep understanding of the checkpoints that Dongzhu Shi mentioned. Many of the checkpoints and tax cards set up to prevent spies are actually for personal gain. I have ordered that all the checkpoints be cancelled.
Checkpoints and tax cards, city gates in various places are no longer allowed to interrogate merchants. If you find that there are checkpoints and soldiers extorting money somewhere under my rule, you can report it and I will definitely investigate and punish you!"
Guo Song's statement won warm applause from all the businessmen present. Checkpoint inspection has always been the most feared obstacle for businessmen, but it is also a stubborn problem. Rulers of all dynasties have wanted to control it, but they have never been able to manage it well. It involves too many people.
Although the businessmen did not expect King Jin to eliminate interrogations, at least King Jin's pragmatic and pro-business attitude made everyone very happy.
With Shi Donglai's suggestions, everyone's enthusiasm was high. You put forward your own suggestions one by one. Some hoped to completely cancel the restrictions on merchants. For example, merchants were not allowed to ride horse-drawn carriages. For example, merchants' children were not allowed to study at Imperial College.
A fat businessman suggested that businessmen should be allowed to serve as officials as in the Kaiyuan period.
Looking at Zhang Lei's eager gaze, Guo Song said with a smile: "Various restrictions on merchants will definitely be gradually lifted. Just like in the feudal towns of Hebei, merchants have a high status and there are not many people who object to it. As for merchants becoming officials, this is no problem, but first
If you want to pass the imperial examination, we were still calling for equality just now, and now we want privileges. That won't work. It must be fair and just. If you pass the imperial examination, I promise to arrange for you to be a county magistrate."
Everyone burst into laughter, and Guo Song also laughed and said: "If you really can't become an official, you can still consider becoming an officer and a title!"
"Your Highness, Prince Jin, can a businessman be knighted?" someone asked in surprise.
Countless pairs of eyes looked at Guo Song. No one cared about honorary officers and people who were on the street, but the title was always tightly controlled. Not to mention businessmen, even ordinary officials basically didn't think about it.
Guo Song said lightly: "First of all, I want to correct a concept. I have abolished my lowly status in Taiyuan. From now on, my craftsman status, merchant status, military status, music status, prostitute status, etc. will all be invalidated. From now on, I will all be civilians. From now on, everyone
Stop emphasizing your identity as a businessman. Being a businessman is just a profession, not an identity."
Everyone was silent, carefully studying the meaning of Guo Song's words. Guo Song continued: "As for the title that everyone is concerned about, I tell you this, the title is as hard to get as before, but as long as you work hard, you can still get it.
If I get the opportunity, one is to run a school and the other is to take care of the orphans and the elderly. As long as I can achieve results in these two good deeds, I can guarantee that I will get a knighthood. I have not considered anything else for the time being."
There were whispers in the main hall. In fact, the court has been encouraging these two good deeds, but they were given as honorary officers. Now His Royal Highness, Prince Jin, has changed it to a title. But everyone also knows that it will not be easy to get the title. His Highness said that he must do it
Producing results is by no means just opening two schools and calling it "producing results".
At this time, Shi Donglai said a few words to his son, and Shi Huan quickly raised his hand and said: "Your Highness, I have another idea."
Guo Song smiled slightly and said, "Master Shi, please tell me!"
"The imperial court started exchanging old coins yesterday. In fact, the circulation of copper coins in the market is indeed insufficient and the money is relatively small. We have a large amount of old coins in our hands. If His Highness is interested, we can lend it to you."
Guo Song waved his hand to signal everyone to quiet down. He said to everyone: "An important reason why I came to see you today is that the government has a batch of valuables in the hands of the former emperor, including jewelry, jade, precious wood furniture, and
Silks, silks, satins, etc. are all rare and precious items in the market."
At this time, more than a dozen soldiers brought out a white jade screen with a rosewood base and frame. The various carvings were extremely exquisite. The four white jade screens were one foot wide and seven feet high. All of them were masterpieces by the palace painters.
Guo Song pointed to the white jade screen and said, "For example, this red sandalwood and white jade screen may not even be found in the residences of the emperor's relatives.
Every piece can be passed down to future generations. I know that you all have money and hope to own some things that can be handed down from generation to generation. The government needs old money, so these valuables will be sold to the public. Tomorrow morning, everyone will go to the gate of Jin Palace.
Move them out one by one, and the buyer will get a proof of purchase..."
There were excited murmurs in the hall. None of these big businessmen are wealthy, but if they have money, they can enjoy it, but some things cannot be bought casually. For example, a red sandalwood and white jade screen cannot be owned by a businessman. It represents a kind of status.
I dare not buy it even if I can afford it, but now it is sold to the public and I can provide proof of purchase, so I can legally own it.
Even Shi Donglai's eyes flashed with surprise. He had long wanted to own a white jade and red sandalwood screen. Legend has it that it was an item in the emperor's imperial study. No matter how much money he spent, he would get it. He whispered a few words to his eldest son.
, Shi Huan nodded repeatedly.
At this time, Guo Song said: "There is one last thing today. It is very important. Please be quiet!"
The hall immediately became quiet, and Guo Song said: "Many people must have heard that the government wants to rebuild Han Chang'an City, and then build a new building on Guanghuamenwai Street in the north, which is the road connecting Chang'an Guanghuamen and the old city Xi'an Gate.
, City walls will be built to seal both sides of this road, and thousands of shops will be built on both sides of the road. It will become the third market of Chang'an. It is different from the East Market and the West Market. It has various small shops, taverns, and inns.
Everything is there.
The shops are only for rent and not for sale. If you are interested in renting a few shops, you can go to the West City Municipal Office to register. If you are not optimistic about the business here, then ignore it. There is a lot of content today. Please think about it after you go back."
...........
After sending the merchant away, Du You smiled at Guo Song and said, "Are those things really going to be sold?"
Guo Song nodded, "There is no other way. We need to build official rental housing at the base of the city wall, build a city wall on the street outside Gwanghwamun, and demolish and rebuild the buildings in the old city. We can't do these things without 300,000 yuan. We have
All the old money I bought was exchanged, so I had to sell those luxury goods to raise money."
"But we can mint money!"
Guo Song nodded, "We have a large number of copper utensils on hand, and there are tens of millions of kilograms of copper ingots in the Taiyuan warehouse. We can indeed make money, but the problem is that we don't have enough time. Making money requires various preparations, which will take at least six or seven months.
We can only get started, and we can only mint 200,000 coins by the end of the year, but I will start construction this month, so raising money has become a top priority."
"I understand, I will do my best tomorrow."
Guo Song handed over various items to be sold tomorrow to Du You. Seeing that Du You was a little worried, he smiled and said: "I will teach you a way to divide the Jin Palace Square into four areas to sell jewelry, jade, and precious wood.
, and high-quality ceramics, and then sell them one by one, and the one with the highest price gets it."
'The highest bidder gets it!'
Du You recited it several times in a low voice, and his eyes suddenly lit up. This was really a good idea. Something worth 300,000 guan might be sold for 500,000 guan.
"It's just that the businessmen don't adapt!"
"Don't underestimate them, they will adapt to this method in the shortest time."
...........
The next morning, four large platforms were set up in the square in front of the Jin Palace. Each platform was filled with various items, covered with red silk cloth, and signs were erected on them, 'Jewelry Area, Jade Area, Wood Area'.
Animal skin area, ceramics area and priceless area'.
The priceless area sells heavy items, including some large jades and famous porcelain from official kilns. The price is difficult to measure, at least above ten thousand yuan. There are twenty-five items in total.
There are businessmen standing under each stage. They have arrived early. The master of ceremonies is announcing the rules to them: everyone can bid for the treasures in the priceless area, and the one with the highest price will get it. Then other items are clearly marked and can be purchased according to their own interests.
.
The most eye-catching thing today is the thousands of jade articles in the jade section, and the hundreds of high-quality official kiln pieces in the ceramics section. Jewelry is not of much interest to other people. Jewelry merchants can own it. Most of them have valuables at home.
of jewelry.
There were many big businessmen standing under the priceless area, looking eagerly at the twenty-five treasures on the wooden platform, all covered with red silk cloth.
At this time, the jade master of ceremonies unveiled the first piece of red silk cloth. It was a five-foot-tall white jade statue of Guanyin. It was a statue of Guanyin with a willow pure vase. The treasure was solemn and lifelike. The jade quality was warm and delicate, and the fat was flawless. It immediately aroused
There was a sound of exclamation, this is something used by the emperor, and it is definitely not something ordinary people can own.
The master of ceremonies said: "The first priceless treasure, the white jade Guanyin statue enshrined by Empress Dowager Shengshun, has a minimum price of 10,000 guan. Those who want it can pay more."
"I'll pay 30,000 yuan!" Liu Jian, the owner of Taibai Restaurant, raised his hand and shouted.
"I'll pay you 40,000 yuan!" Rice merchant Wang Huanzhi shouted.
"I'll pay you 50,000 yuan!" This was the offer made by Han Zhiguo, the largest oil dealer in Chang'an.
"I'll offer you 100,000 yuan!" The one who made the offer was Li An. His 80-year-old mother believed in Guanyin Bodhisattva the most. He wanted to buy a white jade Bodhisattva for his mother today.
There was silence all around. No one added to the price. Just kidding, it’s a hundred thousand yuan!
The master of ceremonies smiled and said: "Congratulations to Mr. Li, for winning the first jade."
Is it expensive? One hundred thousand dollars is unimaginable for ordinary people, but for the big businessman Li An, it is just his annual income.
At this time, another piece of red cloth was unveiled, which was the red sandalwood and white jade screen displayed yesterday, a spare screen for Li Shiyu's study.
Shi Huan stepped forward and whispered a few words to the emcee. The emcee smiled and said: "Master Shi has already bid 200,000 yuan for this screen. Anyone who is interested can make another bid."
No one said anything below. The red sandalwood and white jade screen in the emperor's imperial study was instantly sold by Shi Donglai for a high price of 200,000 yuan.