In addition to the Zhou Kaihuang, there were also some people who believed that the Sword Pavilion was very important to the security of western Sichuan, and a small number of officers believed that the Ming army, as a zhèngfǔ army, had the responsibility to recover the homeland and hold on to it. Fortunately, there are not many such people, Deng Ming can easily dispel their unrealistic thoughts, if Deng Ming really controls the population of millions, he will also try to occupy the Sword Pavilion, at least establish an outpost in Jiangyou.

"Our immediate task is to resume production and train as many soldiers as possible on the basis of ensuring grain production." Seeing that everyone couldn't come up with any good targets for attack for a while, Deng Ming moved on to the next topic: "I plan to set up a study rì, and workers working in the trading house must have one day off every five days. And on this day, the boss of the trading house still needs to pay the workers. ”

Zhu Yuanzhang, who founded the Ming Dynasty, was a workaholic, and did not think that there was a need for people in the world to rest, and stipulated that except for his birth, chūn festival and Mid-Autumn Festival, all other rì children had to work. Although this rule was not enforced by his descendants, rest was limited to officials, and ordinary craftsmen still had to work in a single rì. In Deng Ming's view, the interval of rest helps to improve work efficiency, and it is also very beneficial for him to promote military training for the whole people: "On the morning of study, Tong Xiucai has to train under the guidance of the standing army. This training, which took place every five days, was part of military service, and was attended not only by the workers, but also by the owners of the trading houses, and by the employees of the government except for the officers on duty. ”

The Qing army's green battalion did not conduct training every day, and different generals had different active and adequate food and salary courses, and the Qing army went out every five days on average for one morning, and some for ten days for one morning. is a famous general like Zhao Liangdong, at most, it is a military training in heaven, and the intensity and scope of training cannot be compared with the standing army in Chengdu at all.

"The five-day military training will be held in a kiosk, one morning at a time, and the standing army will decide the content of the training on its own, and the main goal now is to enable Tongxiu to understand military orders, understand the situation, and learn to change queues." The officers and men of the Green Battalion continued the tradition of the Ming army, they may not eat well in peacetime, but they will certainly be able to eat a full meal on the day of the trip, and the sufficiency of food and pay is also an important factor restricting the training of the Qing army. Since Deng Ming is going to train regularly, of course, he will not fail to take this into account: "We provide three meals to the Tongxiu who participate in the training, and the quota for each person is four catties of food, and if you can't finish eating, you can take it back; If you are sick, you can not participate, but you need to be certified by Lang Zhong or checked by a non-commissioned officer, and if you do not participate without reason, it will be regarded as evading military service and you will be fined four catties of food. ”

At present, there are not many industrial and commercial classes in Chengdu, and Deng Ming's training system for the urban population is a precautionary measure, and more people are still engaged in agricultural production: "Tongxiucai, who farms in everything, learns to suspend when the farm is busy, but the difference must be made up when the farm is slack." Every co-shower under the rule of the prefecture, as long as he is at least eighteen and under fifty, must participate in seventy days of training every year, and after reaching this number, the rest of the rest can be at his disposal. ”

Compared with spending a large amount of grain on building the roads leading to Jiangyou and Jiange, Deng Ming felt that it might as well be used for military training. Since Tong Xiucai was exempted from hard labor, all construction work in Chengdu required payment, and it was also a kind of training for the standing army, so that the non-commissioned officers could use it to exercise their ability to control the troops.

After the military meeting, the prefect's yamen came to Deng Ming, saying that a large number of representatives of the power and talent asked to see Deng Ming in front of the yamen.

"Are you bullying people?" Deng Ming, who was about to rest for a while, immediately came up with this thought: "How many people have come to sue?" ”

"It's not." Liu Jinge's subordinates hurriedly defended: "They are here to thank the Admiral. ”

"Thank you?"

"Because of the Admiral's benevolence." The envoy complimented: "The admiral did not send them to the military camp, but allowed them to open up the wasteland on their own, and gave them the right to be free from corporal punishment." ”

Quan and Xiucai are all ordinary people who have migrated from other places, and this identity is only temporary, and after they pay taxes to the prefect yamen for the first time, they will automatically be transferred to Tong Xiucai, so except for one name, there is no difference from Tong Xiucai. But this time, the Ming army sent back a large number of Guizhou and Shaanxi people to Chengdu, these people are also retired soldiers, but their identities are not the former Ming army auxiliaries but the former Qing army auxiliaries. At first, many of Deng Ming's subordinates wanted to formulate some discriminatory policies against them, but Deng Ming disagreed, and under the pretext of "working together for development", he ordered that retired soldiers of the Qing army be treated equally.

"It must have been made by Governor Liu." Deng Ming immediately concluded that this was an image project planned by Liu Jinge, and he said a little angrily: "I've been busy for a day, where can I have time to deal with this kind of labor and money?" It also affected farming, and they had already delayed a lot of farming time. ”

Although Deng Ming was a little dissatisfied, he couldn't refuse this request: "If I don't go to see them, most of these people will be uneasy, forget it, I'll go for a trip." Thinking of this, Deng Ming dressed up and rushed to the prefect's yamen with a few guards - his original guards were all full-time officers of the standing army, and now the guards have been replaced by people with three walls.

However, this Deng Ming has wronged Liu Jinge, this thanksgiving activity is indeed the spontaneous action of Guizhou and Shaanxi people, but after hearing the news, Liu Jinge was very supportive, rewarded some IOUs from the people, and sent guards to maintain order.

Tan Xiaozhuang was one of the delegations, and after he was sent to Chengdu, he thought that he would enter a military camp again to become an auxiliary. Like other captives, Tan Xiaozhuang was already mentally prepared for his future fate, it had always been this kind of life anyway, and he believed that he could adapt well. It's just that when he thinks of the short life of self-farming in Guizhou, Tan Xiaozhuang still has some regrets, and the beautiful rìzi is so short that it seems like a dream.

So when the Chengdu government announced their treatment, Tan Xiaozhuang, like the other captives, could hardly believe that it was true, they could still own their own property, and Chengdu's taxes were far lower than those in Guizhou. Since he didn't need to bear the heavy mu tax, Tan Xiaozhuang also applied for ten acres of land at one time, and dreamed of opening up another ten acres of wasteland close to his land next year.

Tan Xiaozhuang was still very envious when he saw that his neighbors had the ability to buy iron farm tools from the capital, and he could only use wooden ones at the moment -- as a former Qing army auxiliary soldier who did not enjoy subsidies and preferential policies, Tan Xiaozhuang's rations were all borrowed from his neighbors, and now the annual interest rate on these private loans was generally as high as fifty percent, and the Qing army prisoners had to pay even higher interest, and Tan Xiaozhuang borrowed loans that doubled in a year -- it was impossible to have the strength to buy iron tools.

Tan Xiaozhuang knew that he would definitely not be able to repay the loan he owed this year, but he felt that as long as he worked hard, he could repay a little bit on the basis of guaranteed rations and seed grain after harvest, and there was absolutely no need to borrow more loans; Two or three years later, he will definitely be able to pay it off, and at that time, with the output of dozens of acres of land belonging to him, Tan Xiaozhuang knows that sooner or later he will have iron tools, and if he can, he may even go to Xi Chūn Road to buy a cow.

"When I have a cow, someone will be willing to marry their daughter to me." While waiting for Deng Ming to arrive outside the prefect's yamen, Tan Xiaozhuang was still looking forward to his life in a few years: "As long as there is no war here, and the king of Pingxi does not fight him, I will be able to have a home in a few years." ”

For the loan that doubles in a year, Tan Xiaozhuang doesn't think there's anything wrong, and the interest on the loan in Guizhou will not be lower than this, due to high taxes, the time to pay off the debt is only longer, and it is not uncommon to carry it for a lifetime and then hand it over to his son to repay. Therefore, Tan Xiaozhuang is sincerely grateful to Deng Ming and hopes that western Sichuan can be peaceful.

"The Admiral has arrived!"

The soldiers of the prefect's yamen let out a neat shout, pulling Tan Xiaozhuang back from fantasy to reality.

"Lord Admiral, live a long and safe life!"

Shut down

According to the prior discussion, the thanksgiving delegation composed of hundreds of people knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Deng Ming, who came on horseback. A few days ago, when Tan Xiaozhuang learned that he had been selected as a member of the delegation, he did not have any fear, on the contrary, he was very happy to be able to thank Deng Ming in person, and Tan Xiaozhuang also represented dozens of fellow refugees who had come to Sichuan from Guizhou -- these people had promised to help Tan Xiaozhuang take care of his fields, and they would gather at Tan Xiaozhuang's house tonight to wait to hear what Tan Xiaozhuang had seen.

"Why are you kneeling again?" Deng Ming jumped off his horse and walked to the delegation with a frown: "Don't you know the rules of the capital?" Or do you want to insult the fame of the imperial court? ”

"We've all heard of the Admiral's rules." The leader of the delegation, who was very good at talking and did not use the word "villain" as a self-title, knelt on the ground and replied: "The Admiral is Rende, our reborn parents, and we all thank the Admiral from the bottom of our hearts." ”

"Get up." Deng Ming said loudly.

"Admiral Xie." Tan Xiaozhuang shouted according to the etiquette set during the rehearsal, and then stood up with everyone.

"The imperial court has temporarily given you the right to be like Xiucai's fame, and after this year's harvest, you will become the same Xiucai after paying the protection fee." Deng Ming walked up the stone steps in front of the prefect's yamen and addressed everyone, starting with a question: "Is there a trace of strangeness in your hearts?" Strange why the imperial court wants to give you fame? ”

It's not surprising that it's impossible, Tan Xiaozhuang and his companions have discussed this matter many times, but they can't figure out why Chengdu treats the people so favorably, and gives the precious talent and fame to the people like a free gift.

"Because the imperial court has high hopes for you, I, the Chinese Son of Heaven and scholars, have ruled the world together since ancient times, and the imperial court hopes that the people here in the capital will not be satisfied with being a grass people, but will encourage themselves as scholars, and always remember that they have meritorious fame; can do not worship the official, and can straighten his waist in front of the government. Without waiting for the people below to talk to each other, Deng Ming said the answer aloud: "Scholars should be able to see good and be jealous of evil, and only in this way can they be worthy of the fame of the imperial court." Ladies and gentlemen, I hope that you will always demand yourselves according to the standards of scholars in the future, speak up righteously, hoe the strong and help the weak, help those who need your help, and become a veritable scholar, a pillar of the country and a pillar of the imperial court. ”

……

"I have a new decision." After sending off the delegation, Deng Ming did not return to his residence, but found Li Jinge and Xiong Lan.

"I wonder what the Admiral is up to?" Xiong Lan immediately asked, Deng Ming's ideas were endless, and he and Liu Jinge had long been used to this, but since Deng Ming called him here today, Xiong Lan suspected that this idea would have something to do with his bank.

"The prefect's yamen can sell bank licenses, and the prefect should allow private banks to be established." Among the volunteers who followed Deng Ming from Zhejiang, some of them had worked in the bank, and a few of them had been the shopkeeper or bookkeeper of the bank.

After seeing the bank in Chengdu, these people sent a message to Deng Ming, hoping to open a money bank in Chengdu. Deng Ming had met these people a few times, discussed some money deals, and after seeing how Xiong Lan trained cashiers, Deng Ming felt that it became more urgent to open a commercial bank.

However, Deng Ming was slow to make up his mind because he had limited knowledge of finance, and he had the impression that if the bank went wrong, it could cause a devastating blow to the social economy. Deng Ming didn't know anything about how to save the financial crisis, so although he was tempted, he couldn't make up his mind, and always felt that it was safer to control the bank in his hands.

"I asked some people just now, and almost all of these newcomers to Chengdu have borrowed money, and the annual interest rate has doubled, and it is still a rolling interest!" Deng Ming said to Liu Jinge and Xiong Lan: "Such a high profit! Is this to force out human lives? ”

"It's not high." Xiong Lan was a little puzzled by Deng Ming's surprise, borrowing money from people who had nothing would have to charge a high profit, which was the case throughout the country, but Xiong Lan regretted it a little as soon as he said this, he realized that Deng Ming was a clan with fine clothes and food since he was a child, and when he grew up, he also had loyal guards around him, and he had never worried about money, so he naturally didn't understand how important this kind of loan was to poor peasants, not to mention doubling it a year, and if necessary, quadrupling it, someone would borrow it.

"This is borrowed by those people from Guizhou and Shaanxi, right? Yunnan people generally look for those relatives and friends who ransom them back, although Sichuan people do not necessarily have relatives and friends, but for the sake of fellow villagers, the profit is only fifty percent. "As an administrator, Liu Jinge's understanding of the people's feelings is far above Deng's name.

"You all know?" Seeing that Liu Jinge and Xiong Lan were not surprised at all, Deng Ming was even more surprised: "Don't you stop it?" ”

"Why stop it?" Liu Jinge's face showed doubt: "This is Zhou Yu beating Huang Gai, one is willing to fight, the other is willing to suffer, why should we stop it?" No one has stopped it since ancient times. ”

"Admiral, you have an order that loans should only be given to fellow judges." Xiong Lan didn't rush to speak, but thought for a while in connection with Deng Ming's preface and afterwords, just now Deng Ming's words to allow private banks to give Xiong Lan some hints, he hurriedly defended: "The bank only provides low-interest loans to retired soldiers, which is also to thank them for serving the country for many years." ”

"Well, I see." Deng Ming nodded, he finally understood that in this era, only he would be angry about this, and when those usury victims talked about it just now, they also looked like they were righteous, and they didn't have the slightest intention of complaining to themselves, just a very ordinary people's livelihood issue, and the tone in which they talked about usury was no different from when they talked about the growth of crops.

"The capital will set up a number of private banks, and when they are established, Governor Xiong, your bank will no longer provide loan business, and all loans will be handed over to them. Your job is to lend to these private banks and make sure that they run smoothly, and the money you lend to these banks is not interest-free, but they have to accept your audits, and each loan needs to meet the rules we have set. "Deng Ming plans to gather those Zhejiang people who have opened a money bank, as well as Xiong Lan's account office, to formulate a set of censorship systems; Deng Ming was still not at ease with private banks, so these commercial banks had to open their accounts to the bank, and for the time being, they could carry out deposit and loan business: "Open a few more in one go, so that they will not compete with each other and not lend usury...... Well, no, they said that they would join forces to monopolize, and they had to set the rule that the annual interest rate of the secured loan should not exceed 10%; If there is no collateral, as long as it is for farmers and mining, it is not allowed to exceed 20%; As for those who are given to the same person, no interest is allowed, and the prefect's yamen will guarantee it, and then pay them 10% of the interest. ”

"It's just that we won't lend money in the future?" After Xiong Lan understood Deng Ming's words, she looked a little unwilling: "This is all about collecting profits." ”

"Your job in the future, in addition to keeping prices stable, is to make sure that the private banks can be operated, that they can lend to those who need them, and that their accounts will be scrutinized. As for the profits they collect, of course I have to take taxes, and this is not grain production or mining, I will levy a very high tax, even higher than opening a trading house. ”

……

At this time, a distinguished guest came to the palace of Yanping County in Xiamen, and Zheng Chenggong personally stood at the door to greet the guest.

"Zhang Shangshu is here." Zheng Chenggong greeted Zhang Huang politely.

But Zhang Huangyan's return gift seemed a little sloppy, and his face was obviously a little unkind.

"Zhang Shangshu, please." Zheng Chenggong sighed in his heart, but he didn't show it on his face, but politely invited Zhang Huangyan to come in and discuss privately in his study.

Dasu has already relieved the siege of Hangzhou, Zhang Huangyan has no intention of fighting with Shandong and Henan Luying, but Ma Fengzhi can't beat it. Due to Deng Ming's help, Zhang Huangyan's strength is far stronger than that of another universe, and the sailors are also considerable, after the Qing army forced Ma Fengzhi and Zhang Huangyan's combined forces to the seaside, Zhang Huangyan began to organize a retreat, and transported the hundreds of thousands of troops brought by Ma Fengzhi to Zhoushan.

Deng Ming gave Zhang Huangyan a lot of grain and silver taels under the city of Nanjing, and Ma Fengzhi plundered around Hangzhou again, and there is no problem in Zhoushan for the time being, but it can't hold on for a long time. After retreating to Zhoushan, Zhang Huangyan also sent a letter to Xiamen, asking Zheng Chenggong about Taiwan's specific geography and possible cultivated land -- Ma Fengzhi hoped that in the future, he could get a piece of the pie and establish a military cantonment in Taiwan to solve the problem of military rations and population in Zhoushan.

Zheng Chenggong knew that Zhang Huangyan also had this intention, so he quickly replied with a letter to Zhoushan, telling him that Taiwan welcomes every auxiliary soldier who can farm the land, and of course the immigration work will not begin until he is ready for war against the Dutch and lands in Taiwan. Originally, the relationship between Fujian and Zhejiang Ming Army was good, and when Deng Ming was under the city of Nanjing, he tried his best to shorten the distance between the leaders of the Ming Army of the two roads, and Zheng Chenggong's friendly reply last time made the relationship between Zhoushan and Xiamen more harmonious.

At this time, Zhang Huangyan suddenly hurried from Zhoushan to Xiamen, and Zheng Chenggong knew that there was only one reason.

"Zhang Shangshu, this is Xingshi's question." When he walked towards the study, Zheng Chenggong thought silently in his heart: "The young master is working hard, and I can't do it to give up all my efforts, but how can I take half a step back in this matter?" ”