In the early years of the Tang Dynasty, as the war gradually decreased, the world was peaceful, and the domestic economy began to recover gradually, and the prosperity of Zhenguan was coming.

But at this time, the pawn money industry has been liberated from the charitable mode of operation in the Northern and Southern Dynasties, and has become a commercial flow for the purpose of making money.

As the so-called businessmen seek profits, some people dare to go to the guillotine for the sake of 200 percent profits. Therefore, at that time, in the private sector, there was also a phenomenon that most of the pawnbroking industry did not hesitate to raise the interest rate in order to grab and squeeze greater profits. As a result, the people were miserable, and even many businessmen borrowed money from pawn shops or money houses in order to cope with the temporary turnover, and finally because they could not afford to pay the high interest, they eventually led to the destruction of their families and the separation of their wives.

This situation has intensified like a plague among the people, and the interest rate is even higher than the public money opened by the state capitals and county officials who secretly instructed the seizure of money.

In the end, this situation reached the ears of His Majesty Li Er.

As soon as he heard this, His Majesty Li Er naturally couldn't calm down. How can this reason be that this private money bank still dares to put the interest higher than the public money of the state capital and county government? Isn't that the opposite?

Immediately, on a certain month and day in the fourth year of Zhenguan, His Majesty Li Er summoned several important ministers late at night to discuss the matter of this private money bank.

At that time, people like Cheng Biting Jin and Wei Chi Jingde directly proposed a one-size-fits-all approach, that is, directly prohibiting private money banks and pawn shops, which was a one-size-fits-all approach. However, this suggestion was strongly opposed by Wei Zheng, Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui and others, who all admonished that it should not be directly cut across the board just because there were problems, but should find problems and solve them, and set rules and regulations and control red lines for these private money banks.

His Majesty Li Er finally listened to the rational advice of Fang Mou Du Duan and Wei Zheng and others, after all, the commercial trade of the Tang Dynasty still needs the help and stimulation of private funds, blindly relying on the help of the local state capital and county government, it is always a drop in the bucket, and there must be a reason why private money banks and pawnshops can exist for several dynasties without dying out.

Therefore, His Majesty Li Er acquiesced to the existence of the primary financial industry such as the Qian Zhuang pawnshop and acquiesced to the development of this industry.

However, he also listened to everyone's suggestions, set rules and red lines for this industry, and asked Prime Minister Fang Xuanling to personally add a provision to the "Tang Law Shuyi": "For all examples of quality, the income shall not exceed five points, and the interest will be more than doubled. ”

As the name suggests, the annual interest rate of the deposit shall not exceed 5% when the bank collects deposits, and the annual interest rate shall not exceed 10% when the money is lending, and beneficial rollover actions are not allowed. Once this red line is exceeded, the state and county government will not accept any arrears.

This red line of interest not only ensures that depositors can get interest when they deposit money in the bank, but also ensures that those large businessmen who need capital turnover will not be dragged down by the high interest, and also ensures that the bank has profit margins. Of course, His Majesty Li Er also has his own selfishness, after all, the public party of the imperial court also needs to earn money. The interest rate of your money bank is higher than that of the usury of the imperial court, so where can the imperial court make money? Where to replenish the treasury?

Therefore, under normal circumstances, those who are looking for money to borrow money and can endure high interest to get usury from the imperial court are basically customers who have a certain risk and dare not accept them. As the saying goes, if you dare to default on money, who will dare to rely on usury from the government? The whole world belongs to the imperial court, where do you go to hide from your debts?

This statute added by His Majesty Li Er in the Tang Dynasty is the first national law in Chinese history to set up interest rates, which not only did not limit the development of the Qianzhuang pawn industry, but stimulated the progress and standardization of this industry.

Since then, the money banks and pawnbroking industries in more than 1,000 counties in hundreds of states in Datang have adhered to this law to open money banks. Once someone crosses this red line, it not only breaks the rules of the industry, but also violates the laws of the country, and the government will naturally come forward to clean him up.

……

Cui Geng tried his best to explain to Cao Jie the law on the financial industry in "Tang Law Discussion", and at the same time told Cao Yuechan the ins and outs of this law, Cao Yuechan nodded frequently, and was secretly afraid in her heart, if it wasn't for Cui Geng today, she really didn't know that there was such a law in Tang Law's discussion. When the time comes, he really listened to his younger brother Cao Jie's advice, and if he acted recklessly, he would really catch the Wu family with pigtails.

Cao Jie is not as delicate as his sister, after listening to Cui Geng's explanation, he looked indifferent, shook his arm, pouted and said a little unhappily: "Then look at this meaning, there is still no way to snatch all the depositors of the Wu family's money bank." Seventy percent of the depositors are in his bank, so our family still can't do him! ”

"That's not necessarily, after all, absorbing storage is a process of accumulation, and it cannot be achieved overnight. If you want to become the leader of Qingyuan County, or even the entire Quanzhou Mansion, it is impossible to do it in one day. Cui Geng said patiently.

Cao Jie asked again: "In addition to raising the annual interest rate, are there any new ways to absorb savings?" Sister... Uh, Lieutenant Cui! ”

Cui Geng sighed, then walked to the position near the window, stretched out his hand to the window, and said: "Tianshun Qianzhuang has been operating in Qingyuan County for so many years, and it must have his support, but our eyes can't always be limited to Qingyuan City. Taking advantage of this momentum, we not only have to operate a stable and good Jufenglong silver in Qingyuan County, but also take advantage of the fact that the Wu family has not yet come to our senses, and open the branch in Putian, Longxi, Jin~Jiang and other counties at the fastest speed, and even Quanzhou Fucheng, we must also open the branch as soon as possible. Since we are temporarily saturated with depositors in Qingyuan County, we will set our sights on places outside Qingyuan. ”

"Could it be that you are going too fast?"

Cao Yuechan gently tapped on the edge of the table with her hand, and said with a slight hesitation: "Opening so many semicolons at once is a lot of expenditure in itself." At the same time, he blindly absorbs savings with interest of two and a half points, and the monthly interest alone is a huge expense. Do we start preparing for lending and lending, so that the silver account can start to make some revenue? ”

"There is no urgency in lending and lending, we must now seize the depositor market, we must spread out the stalls as soon as possible, and we must lay out everything before the Wu family can react to our real intentions. As for the big stall, don't worry. Tian Wenkun has already said hello there, and in the future, the cash silver return of Mulan Spring Wine will not go to Cui's Wine Workshop first, but will flow into the silver number as soon as possible. ”

Cui Geng shook his head and insisted on his opinion: "The advantages that distinguish us from Tianshun Qianzhuang now are nothing more than two points, one is that we have the cash flow of Mulan Spring Wine, and the other is that we have a big pattern and layout that they don't have. He Tianshun Qian Zhuang is in the eyes of my Cui someone, but he is just a child, so he is not afraid! ”

Listening to Cui Geng's own concerns, Cao Yuechan was indifferent on the surface, but she was still very relieved in her heart, the reason why he was looking for Cui Geng to cooperate with the silver number was not to value the gold-absorbing ability of Cui's Mulan Spring Wine, and his long-term vision and overall pattern that were different from others?

Then she also nodded and said, "Since you say so, then I have no objection." That's right, we must lay everything out in advance before the Wu family sees through our true intentions in the future. Otherwise, wait for them to react, with the strength of the Wu family, no matter how difficult it is to find a partnership, they can follow our example of Jufenglong. ”

"Well, that's the reason."

Cui Geng waved at Cao Jie as he spoke, called him to the window, and said, "Cao Jie, in fact, there is still a piece of the depositor market in Qingyuan that has been ignored by Wu Gongli. ”

Cao Jie was stunned for a moment and asked, "The Wu family has been operating in Qingyuan for decades, can there still be neglected depositors?" Can't! ”

Cui Gengdao: "Let me ask you, how much does Tianshun Qianzhuang require for depositors?" ”

This Cao Festival is no stranger, he has collected some information about Tianshun Money Village before, and he opened his mouth and said: "Naturally, it is consistent to save money, and the deposit period is at least one year!" ”

Cui Geng smiled: "That's right." I'll tell you a little trick, this method can't help but absorb a lot of depositors for us to gather Fenglong, and you can come here with your ears......"

Cao Jie poked his head over, and the two exchanged heads for a while.

Seeing this, Cao Yuechan was secretly angry, mysterious and secretive, can this girl still go to report to the Wu family? The heart of the villain, hum!

……

……

East of the city, Tianshun Qianzhuang.

Wu Gongli was in a very bad mood today, and stayed in the account room in the back hall of Qianzhuang all day, if it wasn't for Song Wen coming to Qianzhuang to visit him, maybe he would have returned to Wu's mansion early today, where would he stay in Qianzhuang?

From the morning to now, when evening was approaching, the ears did not stop, and after a while a man came to report how many more depositors had just come to the counter and carried the silver and left, and after a while another man came in to pass the news, and the shopkeeper of which store had just come to the counter and took away how much silver, ready to save it in his house.

Back and forth, Wu Gongli was about to be tortured and went crazy.

Tianshun Qianzhuang, which has been operating in Qingyuan County for several generations, when has it ever faced such an embarrassing situation?

In the account room, Song Wen had been sitting for almost an hour, and the tea soup alone had been changed three or four times, and he didn't see Wu Gongli sitting down and talking.

Seeing that it was getting late, Song Wen swallowed his saliva and wanted to open his mouth.

But I heard a "pop"!

Wu Gongli threw an account book on the table again, and scolded with an ugly face: "This Cui Erlang is too deceitful, and today he robbed my small 200 depositors alive in Qianzhuang." It's only been four days before and after, Song Hucao, do you know how many depositors my Tianshun Money Bank has lost? ”

"Damn, it's a full three!"

Wu Gongli approached Song Wen, approached him, raised three fingers, and sprayed Song Wen's face: "In just four days, I robbed thirty percent of the depositors that my Wu family has been operating for decades!" “

All right!

Song Wen had been preparing for an afternoon, ready to open his mouth to say something, but was blocked by Wu Gongli again.

Helpless, he had to gently wipe the saliva on his face, laughed with him, and persuaded: "Wu Gongzi, don't be angry, don't be angry!" Business, there are always gains and losses, right? He robbed your depositor, it's a big deal, in a few days you raise the interest rate, and then go to grab it back? ”

"Raise the interest rate and get it back?"

Wu Gongli sneered, shook his head and said, "Song Hucao, you don't understand our business, I can raise the interest, but he can't gather Fenglong?" This is never a way, no, I have to think of another way, I can't let Ju Fenglong continue to sit big and continue to be proud! ”

"Yes, yes, Wu Gongzi has the talent to go through the heavens and latitudes, and this kind of small trouble must be easily solved."

Song Wen saw that Wu Gongli calmed down a little, swallowed the saliva in his mouth, and was about to open his mouth to say the purpose of his visit today.

But just as he was about to speak, there was another knock on the door of the account.

What came in was the two-headed valley big root of Tianshun Qianzhuang.

Damn it!

Song Wen glared at Gu Dagen hatefully.

I saw Gu Dagen holding a boxy red paper in his hand, with black letters written on it, presented it to Wu Gongli, and reported in a little panic: "Boss, Jufenglong has a moth again, this is what our guy who was squatting at the gate of Jufenglong just sent back." You take a look at ......"

Jufenglong has a moth again?

Wu Gongli hurriedly snatched the red paper from the four directions, looked at the small letters written on it, and thought to himself: "Jufenglong Silver Depositor's New Package Plan? Deposit and withdraw as a whole, and save ...... at a time"

The more he read it, the darker Wu Gongli's face became, and finally he was so angry that he threw the flyer to the ground, and said coldly: "Okay, you are a gathering Fenglong, it is estimated that this hand was planned by Cui Erlang behind the scenes!" Hehe, even the poor sticks in those crop fields are not spared, what does this Ju Fenglong want to do? ”

This book was first published on Kanshu.com