Although at the merchants' congress, the emperor's proposed tax reform plan was passed by a majority vote. But looking at the dissatisfied expressions on the faces of many businessmen, Zhu Youzhen knew that although these businessmen were forced to accept this resolution for the time being under their own pressure, they might not make any small moves to resist taxes after returning to the locality.

In order to tie the majority of the business representatives to their side, it is obviously not enough to rely on a single meeting resolution. Zhu Youzhen thought about it again and again, and finally threw out an industrial and commercial development plan that he had been thinking about for a long time.

"Since I ascended the throne, I have often heard the news of disasters from all over the country, although the imperial court has raised many measures, but if it wants to help the victims of the entire Ming Dynasty, the imperial court is still unable to catch it.

However, the main reason is that the population of the Ming Dynasty has exceeded the scale that the cultivated land that has been developed can afford it. The ancients said: There is no idle land in the four seas, and farmers are still starving to death. It's pretty much the same as today.

To solve this problem, we must either increase the opening of new arable land, or we must transfer the population to both industry and commerce.

Increasing new arable land is a matter for the imperial court, so I won't mention it here. However, the development of industry and commerce has a greater or lesser impact on all of you, so I will mention two sentences here. ”

The merchant representatives, who were still worried about the vote on the tax proposal, were suddenly attracted by the emperor's words. Everyone quieted down and focused their attention on Chongzhen.

Zhu Youzhen paused slightly, and after seeing that order had been restored in the venue, he continued to speak with satisfaction.

"In fact, I also found some inspiration from the changes of the four people in Huizhou. Huizhou has many mountains and little flat land, and even less fertile land suitable for cultivation.

If the people of Huizhou make a living from farming, then the output of Huizhou's land will only make the people of Huizhou barely make ends meet. If we encounter a bad year, I am afraid that many Huizhou people will become homeless.

But now in Huizhou, large families and wealthy families abound, and even if the year is bad, there will not be a large number of displaced people. This is mainly due to the fact that the people of Huizhou have three points of farming, but seven of them are doing business abroad.

It can be seen that the population that industry and commerce can accommodate is quite amazing. The policy I want to say is that I will open up the salt industry in Zigongjing and the mining industry in Yunnan and Shanxi. As long as it is a qualified person or company, it can apply to the imperial court to join the above-mentioned industries. ”

The merchant representatives in the venue were in an uproar, and they discussed in a whisper for a while, and immediately someone asked: "Dare to ask Your Majesty, what kind of charter is the opening of Zigongjing Salt?" ”

Zhu Youzhen pressed his hands weakly, and after everyone quieted down, he whispered a few words to Wang Chengen beside him.

Wang Chengen first commanded the little eunuch behind him a few words, and then stood up and said to everyone: "The articles of association regarding joining the Zigongjing salt industry and the mining industry in Yunnan and Shanxi have been printed into words, and now they are sent to everyone for their own review.

However, delegates should pay attention to the following points: 1. The mining industry in Yunnan and Shanxi does not include gold and silver mines;

2. There is a quota limit for Zigong well salt, and the first batch of 300 licenses will be issued, and each license can dig a salt well. These licenses will be sold at public auction and will not be limited to one per person. Of course, if the salt well is not drilled within the specified time, then the license will also be invalidated.

3. If you want to open a mine in Yunnan and Shanxi, you must prove that you have enough financial resources to pay for mining costs, such as depositing a five-year fixed deposit of 100,000 taels of silver in the Central Bank of Daming, or buying a five-year Daming treasury bond worth 100,000 taels..."

When Wang Chengen was reading the precautions, the two little eunuchs also held two stacks of paper and handed them to the merchant representatives present one by one.

After a representative of a Shaanxi businessman got the charter, he hurriedly glanced at it twice, and couldn't wait to ask: "May I ask my father-in-law, this charter says that if you want to participate in the auction of the Yanjing license, you must first go to the Sichuan Salt Company to buy the investment prospectus, where is the Sichuan Salt Company?" ”

Wang Chengen cleared his throat and replied loudly: "Sichuan Salt Industry Company is next door to the Shiwangfu stock exchange market, but please note that each investment prospectus is 100 taels of silver, and each investment prospectus can only be registered in the name of one person.

In addition, regardless of whether the bid is won or not, the 100 taels of silver will not be refunded. However, the bid deposit will be refunded to you within 10 days after the end of the bidding..."

Zhu You listened for a while and found that these merchant representatives were only vigorously asking about the Zigong Salt Well, but few of them had asked about the opening of the mine.

He had to ask, "Aren't you interested in mining?" ”

The originally noisy hall suddenly fell silent, and after a while, a merchant said, "Your Majesty, what is this 100,000 taels of silver fixed deposit and Daming treasury bonds?" What kind of yamen is this Daming Central Bank? We really don't know anything about this, so we don't dare to speak. ”

After Zhu Youzhen briefly introduced the meaning of fixed deposits and treasury bonds, he said in an accentuated tone: "The central bank of Daming has not yet been established, but the currency exchange office of Sihai Commercial Bank can handle the above business on behalf of you.

In the near future, the currency exchange office will be expanded to the central bank of Daming, operating deposits, loans and other financial businesses. In the future, all the tax deposits of the Ming Dynasty will be placed in the central bank, and the solvency of the central bank will also be guaranteed by the imperial court.

So you don't have to worry about your savings or the treasury bonds you have purchased will be swallowed up by the imperial court. ”

The emperor's words suddenly embarrassed the merchants, and it was this that they had just suspected in their hearts. 100,000 taels is not a small amount, and they may not be able to earn 100,000 taels when they go to mine.

What would the emperor do if the emperor spent all the so-called savings and national debt, and did not repay the money when it was due? Can they still go to the official palace to sue and ask the emperor to return the money?

Although the emperor now explained to them that their money was all in the central bank, and that they would use the taxes of the imperial court to ensure the safety of their funds, the merchants were still a little skeptical.

Zhu Youzhen looked at the hesitant appearance of these businessmen and decided to give them some more temptation.

"In this way, the mining regulations of Yunnan and Shanxi will soon be published in the Daming Times, and these conditions will not be changed.

However, since you have all responded to my call and set an example for the merchants of the world, you will always receive some special treatment.

If you are interested in participating in the mining development of the two provinces, then the amount of fixed deposits or the amount of treasury bonds purchased can be halved, and if others want a deposit of 100,000 taels, you can do 50,000 taels, and the term can also be changed to 3 years.

Finally, all mines are tax-free for the first three years, two and a half years, and then five years later, according to the size of the mine. ”

Chongzhen's words finally piqued the interest of these merchant representatives, and if the first three years were tax-free, then the possibility of mining profits would have risen greatly.

After all, the exploration technology of this era was not developed, and even if a skilled veteran could detect the ore seedlings, he could not be sure that it was a rich mine.

It always takes one to two years to excavate to determine the approximate reserves of the mine and whether the ore grade is consistent.

The new policy issued by the emperor was tantamount to reducing the initial investment of these merchants in the construction of mines.

Looking at the businessmen and representatives at the scene, after finally being interested in the construction of the mine, Zhu Youzhen finally breathed a sigh of relief.

At the same time, several Huizhou businessmen in the southeast corner of the hall also became eyebrows and smiled. They were discussing these days, the emperor's request for the establishment of that central bank.

However, except for Wang Fengyuan, who had no way out, other Huizhou businessmen were hesitating. Although the terms offered by the emperor were not bad, and the exchange business seemed to be very profitable, the merchants feared that they had more money in their hands than the emperor had imagined.

Now the merchants of Huizhou lent money at a monthly interest rate of 1-3 cents, or compound interest, which was enough for them, and they did not understand why the emperor must have changed the interest to simple interest, and the annual interest rate should not be higher than 10%.

Although these merchants discussed it, they believed that with the support of the imperial court, no pawnshop in the entire Ming Dynasty could compete with the central bank.

But such a low interest rate on borrowing makes them doubt whether the capital they have invested can be repaid. And most of the funds they control come from borrowing from fellow businessmen. Borrowing at an annual interest rate of 10% can only maintain a meager profit.

But if half of the bank's funds can't be borrowed, then not only will they not make a profit, but they may also lose money.

It was under this entanglement that these Huizhou businessmen were unable to make a decision. If Chongzhen hadn't threatened them with Jin Shang, they would have rejected the emperor's proposal a long time ago.

Today, however, the emperor openly declared that he wanted to promote industry and commerce, and to guarantee the credit of banks in the name of the imperial court, and also recruited a number of low-interest deposit customers, which undoubtedly brought great benefits to the business of the central bank after its establishment.

Whether it is the development of Zigong salt wells or the mining in Shanxi and Yunnan, it is an industry that requires a large amount of capital investment. Although everyone does not know what outstanding minerals there are in Shanxi, the salt in Zigong and the copper ore in Yunnan are both high-value hard currencies.

As long as this group of businessmen is captured, after the establishment of the central bank, there is no need to worry about losing money.

Several Huizhou businessmen quickly communicated with Wang Fengyuan, and the preparatory work of the central bank, which had not made progress for several days, finally achieved breakthrough achievements.

Zhu Youzhen thought for a while, and then whispered a few words to Wang Chengen. Wang Chengen said to everyone again.

"The imperial court discovered coal and iron ore near Kaiping Town, Luanzhou, Yongping Prefecture, and His Majesty intended to open the Kaiping Mining Bureau to mine coal and iron ore here, and build coking plants and ironworks. The total investment amount will reach 2 million taels of silver.

The Kaiping Mining Bureau will build a coal canal to reach the seashore and build its own port, and part of the coal and iron produced in Kaiping will be used for export. If you are interested in participating in the shares, you can contact the Mining Bureau under the Ministry of Industry..."