Zhu Youzhen put down the information in his hand and asked casually, "Is it?" So what do you think these Jin merchants are still missing? ”

Wang Chengen was stunned, not understanding how the emperor could ask himself this question. Zhu Youzhen smiled and said, "If the Jin merchants don't lack anything, then how can I convince them?" ”

Wang Chengen was dumbfounded and really didn't know how to answer the emperor's question, saying that the Jin merchants lacked anything, of course, it was not true. The Jin merchants lacked money and official positions, but let alone Chongzhen, even Wang Chengen would not be willing to exchange these two things for the support of the Jin merchants.

Zhu Youzhen instructed Wang Chengen: "You let Fan Wuxi, Wang Fengyuan, and Cheng Dewei come to see me, and then let someone warm a pot of tea." ”

Wang Chengen didn't dare to try to interfere with the emperor's choice anymore, and he immediately agreed to retreat.

Fan Wuxi, Wang Fengyuan, and Cheng Dewei nervously followed a little eunuch into a heavily guarded courtyard.

Although the temperature in Beijing in March is quite cool, the palms of the three of them are already sweating.

In the past two days, the emperor has talked to the representatives of merchants from various provinces, and most of the representatives of merchants have already received the news.

Although most of the merchant representatives who spoke to the emperor were reluctant to reveal what the emperor had talked to them. However, from a small number of people, they still have a slight understanding that the merchant representatives of these provinces will choose to support the emperor's tax plan next.

This is definitely not good news for other representatives of businessmen. The only consolation to the Huizhou merchants was that the emperor had not met with the Shanxi merchants until now, which meant that the Shanxi merchants had not yet received the emperor's promise.

Whether it is the salt industry, the pawn industry, or the grain industry, the Jin merchants and the Hui merchants have already launched a head-on competition. To the south of the Yangtze River, the Hui merchants had an advantage, but north of the Yellow River they were still under the control of the Jin merchants.

Although the Jin merchants have lost to the competition of the Hui merchants in recent years and have withdrawn from many areas near the Yangtze River, it seems that the situation of the Hui merchants is very good. However, for these Huizhou businessmen who believe in left business and right Confucianism, they are more convinced of power.

If the emperor sided with the Jin merchants, then the Hui merchants would be in a crisis. Huizhou is narrow and densely populated, and it is a mountainous terrain, so it is impossible to support such a person by farming alone. About one-tenth of the people of Huizhou have three kinds of fields, and seven-tenths go out to do business.

If Huizhou's business is hit, it will be a disaster for Huizhou people. Therefore, being able to get the emperor's first summons was a surprise for the three of them.

But they didn't understand why the emperor didn't go directly to the branch meeting of Huizhou merchants to talk to them, as was customary. The commerce of Nanzhili was too prosperous, so it was divided into two places, Huizhou and Nanzhili.

Chongzhen looked at the three Huizhou businessmen and said, "The reason why I didn't go directly to the branch venue of the Huizhou businessmen's representatives is to hear first, what are the opinions of Huizhou businessmen on the collection of commercial taxes?" ”

Fan Wuxi, Wang Fengyuan, and Cheng Dewei glanced at each other, and Fan Wuxian came forward and said, "Xiaomin is willing to obey His Majesty's orders." ”

Zhu Youzhen's originally serious appearance finally became smiling, and he said with a little enthusiasm: "That's right, I appreciate your current attitude." For the sake of the country, someone always needs to make contributions, if the peasants do not pay the land tax, and the merchants do not pay the commercial tax, then can our country still exist? ”

The three Huizhou merchants bowed down in front of Chongzhen, not daring to speak out to answer the emperor's words. Looking at the sincere and frightened appearance of the three of them, Zhu Youzhen took a sip of hot tea before continuing.

"I know that seven out of every ten people in Huizhou are in business. With the current way of taxation, even a small increase in taxes would add up to an unbearable amount.

Therefore, at the same time as the tax amount is raised, we will also reform the way we collect taxes, from cumulative collection to one-time collection.

In order to ensure that the collection of taxes is no longer as chaotic as before, I will select people from among the representatives of the merchants to participate in the reorganization of the tax collection agency. If the three of you are interested, you can also participate. ”

Fan Wuxi, Wang Fengyuan, and Cheng Dewei immediately thanked Chongzhen gratefully, the emperor meant that the three of them would get an official and a half-job.

Zhu Youzhen looked at the three of them and asked casually, "Among the three of you, who is running the pawn industry?" ”

Wang Fengyuan suddenly took a few steps forward and said, "Back to Your Majesty, there are a few pawn shops in Xiaomin's hands. ”

"Okay, then you two will go back and talk to the other delegates first, and I hope they will have the same opinion as you. As for you, stay and talk to me. Zhu Youzhen pointed at Wang Fengyuan and said.

After Fan Wuxian and Cheng Dewei glanced at Wang Fengyuan, they thanked the emperor again and exited the room.

Wang Fengyuan, who was left alone, looked at Chongzhen a little nervously, not knowing what the emperor's purpose was for leaving him.

Zhu Youzhen chatted with him casually and asked him about some things about the pawn industry. Although Zhu Youzhen has ordered Jinyiwei to collect a lot of information about the pawnshop, it is still not as good as Wang Fengyuan, who is the actual operator.

From his mouth, Zhu Youzhen heard a lot of secrets about the pawnbroking industry, but he gained a lot of knowledge.

After listening for a long time, Zhu You smiled at Wang Fengyuan and said: "Sure enough, it is 360 lines, and the line is the champion, Wang Lao's words can be called the champion in the pawnshop." ”

Wang Fengyuan didn't dare to accept Chongzhen's title, and hurriedly kowtowed and said: "The little people are scared, and they don't dare to be called like this by Your Majesty." ”

Zhu Youzhen smiled and said: "Give a seat to Mr. Wang, Mr. Wang is almost 60 this year, and there is nothing wrong with calling him old." ”

Wang Fengyuan sat tremblingly on the chair handed over by the little eunuch, not understanding why the emperor was so polite to him.

Zhu Youzhen looked left and right, and asked Wang Chengen to dismiss the servants waiting in the room, leaving Wang Chengen alone.

After the room became quiet, Zhu Youzhen said to Wang Fengyuan seriously: "I hope that you will come forward to gather all the Hui merchants who run the pawn industry and merge the pawn shops in their hands into a whole. ”

Wang Fengyuan was suddenly a little frightened, he didn't understand what Chongzhen wanted to do. He could only take the move and said: "Your Majesty, although this pawnshop joint number can expand the capital, it is not that the more the capital, the better."

If you can't borrow money, the more capital you have, the more interest you will lose. In recent years, the economy of various places has not been very good, and sometimes the borrowed capital cannot be recovered..."

Zhu Youzhen interrupted him and said bluntly: "What I want to do is not a pawnshop number, but the Daming Central Bank. After you arrived in the capital, did you go to the currency exchange office of the Four Seas Commercial Bank? ”

Wang Fengyuan replied cautiously: "The currency exchange office of the Four Seas Commercial Bank, Xiaomin has seen it, and it is indeed a very novel business. ”

"So what do you think of Daming's treasure banknotes?" Zhu Youzhen continued to look at him and asked.

Wang Fengyuan thought for a while before replying: "If the Daming treasure banknote can also be exchanged for physical silver taels, it should not be like this." ”

Zhu Youzhen nodded, softened his tone and said: "Your statement is good, the Daming treasure banknote itself has no value, and the reason why it can buy things mainly lies in the credit of the imperial court itself."

If the incompetent officials in the past had not been so unrestrained and indiscriminately issuing treasure money, then today's Ming treasure money would not have depreciated to this extent.

The central bank I want to set up is a currency exchange business and part of the pawnbroking business. We issue convertible banknotes based on precious metals, thereby reducing the loss of precious metals when they are melted and separated.

The taxes collected by the Ming Dynasty from all over the country every year can also be transferred to the central or local government through banks. From the merchant walking on the land of the Ming Dynasty, he no longer has to worry about carrying heavy silver taels, but as long as he holds a bill of exchange, he can take out the silver taels thousands of miles away..."

Zhu Youzhen painted a very wonderful blueprint for Wang Fengyuan, in Wang Fengyuan's view, if the blueprint described by the emperor can really be completed, then the central bank of the Ming Dynasty will become a business partner that businessmen everywhere can never leave.

However, although he felt that it was a good business, he could not easily express his support for doing business with the emperor.

Zhu Youzhen, who had been talking for a long time, looked at Wang Fengyuan, who was silent, and finally couldn't help frowning and asked, "Why, is Wang Lao unwilling to help me establish this central bank?" ”

Wang Fengyuan hurriedly explained: "Xiaomin doesn't dare, Your Majesty looks up to Xiaomin and is willing to let Xiaomin join this central bank, Xiaomin can only be ecstatic."

However, Xiaomin really didn't dare to play this package ticket for others, after all, the businessman was profitable, and his brother still had to settle the account. If you want to invest your net worth in this central bank, I am afraid that without a charter, Xiaomin will not be able to convince others. However, Xiaomin is willing to dedicate the pawnshop under his name to His Majesty first. ”

Zhu Youzhen waved his hand and said unhappily: "I want your family property to do something, if you don't want to join the central bank, then I can find someone else."

As for the articles of association of the bank, I can also give you a rough explanation: 1. Regarding the management of the bank, the shareholders may elect a certain number of board of directors to vote on the development plan of the bank;

2. The Board of Directors shall elect a President who shall be responsible for the day-to-day affairs of the Bank and for the implementation of the decisions of the Board of Directors. In addition, they can also negotiate with the Ministry of Household Affairs on financial policies, such as stipulating a maximum limit of interest and prohibiting others from establishing private banks without the consent of the imperial court.

3. Shareholders may also elect a board of supervisors with a certain number of members to monitor whether the bank's employees and the board of directors are harming the interests of shareholders. ”

Wang Fengyuan thought carefully for a while about the bank's articles of association that Chongzhen said, and felt that there were no loopholes, but he still asked cautiously: "Dare to ask Your Majesty, after the establishment of this bank, will Your Majesty arbitrarily appoint and dismiss the president of the bank or a member of the board of directors?" Or will His Majesty directly embezzle the bank's money? ”