Chapter 10 Bad money drives good money

Although Wang Shao did not report the matter, Yang Jian soon learned the whole story. He was very happy that Wang Shao had tied up and advised him. He said to Dugu: "The prince will not let my trust, he is really a good minister."

The other thing that Queen Dugu was worried about was another thing. Yang Guang was fourteen years old and his younger brothers had already decided to marry him. However, Yang Guang was rejected because the Dou family, Dugu's favorite. The marriage was not yet decided. He said to Yang Jian: "Your Majesty, Amo has been the King of Jin for more than a year. It's time to get married for him. You might as well test the ministers when you go to court tomorrow to see which family has a good daughter who can be worthy of Amo."

Yang Jian smiled at Empress Dugu and said, "The marriage between the prince, Jun'er, Xiu'er and others is not controlled by the queen. The queen can directly order the ministers. Why do I need to do this in vain?"

The Dugu family was noble and prosperous for generations and loved to study since childhood. Yang Jian was fostered in a nunnery until he was thirteen years old and was not taken back by his father. He had the opportunity to study and learn. Although Yang Jian was more than ten years older than Dugu, he was too far inferior to Dugu in terms of knowledge. After the two got married, Yang Jian had to discuss with Dugu every major event. Many loopholes that Yang Jian did not notice often filled the Dugu family. Queen Dugu was very helpful to Yang Jian.

Yang Jian became the emperor. When he arrived at the court every day, Empress Dugu would go side by side with him in a sedan chair, accompanying Yang Jian to the entrance of the hall where he went to the morning court. He also sent eunuchs to investigate Emperor Wen's behavior. If he found that the government was wrong, he would immediately ask the eunuchs to convey the news and advise and correct it. After Yang Jian left the court, he would return to the bedroom with Yang Jian.

Although there were many women in the harem, they were all selected by the queen. With the standards of not being delicate, not being charming, not being beautiful, not being beautiful, Yang Jian has been the emperor for more than a year and has no chance of cheating. Yang Jian loved and respected Dugu family and joked without realizing it.

Empress Dugu blamed: "How can I interfere in politics as a woman? If I am a woman in the future, wouldn't I blame me for being aware of it? I can't start this."

Yang Jian thought to himself, you still call him ignorant of politics. The ministers in the court called him two saints and put you and me together, but this statement must not be made public. Yang Jian suddenly felt aroused in his heart: "Emperor Liang Xiao Kui has several daughters, so he can choose one of them as Amo's wife."

Although the Liang State had only two states, it was in the middle of the Southern and Northern Dynasties. Liang State had always relied on the protection of the Great Zhou to not be destroyed by the Chen State. At the beginning of the Kaihuang Empire, in order to prevent the Liang State from causing chaos, Yang Jian also sent envoys to Jiangling to reward Xiao Kui with 500 taels of gold, 1,000 taels of silver, and 500 good horses, just to prevent Liang State from turning to Chen State. Now the Great Sui State has even repelled the Turks. Yang Jian felt more and more that the small country of Liang State had no need to exist. Now that Yang Guang married the Princess of Liang State, he wanted to peacefully include Liang State in the Sui State territory.

Dugu and Yang Jian had a close relationship and nodded: "Liang Kui's daughter is also a princess for a long time. It's not considered an insult to Amo, just as the emperor said."

Yang Jian immediately sent an imperial envoy to reward Wang Shao with a hundred taels of gold and four concubines, commending him for his contribution to the King of Jin's teachings. The imperial envoy also gave the King of Jin a decree. In the decree, he did not blame Yang Guang for digging lakes and filling mountains without authorization. Instead, he commended him for knowing his mistakes and being able to correct them. He asked him to return to Chang'an and prepare to go to Jiangling to choose his wife for himself.

Women in Jiangnan are known for their gentleness and wisdom, and are mostly knowledgeable. The daughter of the emperor is even more noble. Yang Guang was immediately overjoyed when he received the imperial edict. Although Yang Guang may not have much affection for Dou Shiya and must marry her, Yang Guang felt uncomfortable with Dou Shiya's rejection. Now that he is married to the princess of a country, Yang Guang finally balanced his mind.

Yang Yong naturally knew what King Jin did in Bingzhou, and had to admire his fourteen-year-old brother's intelligence. He clearly violated the emperor's order and dug lakes and mountains in the back garden, so he had to admit his mistakes. Not only was he not blamed by the emperor, but he was commended. However, Yang Yong did not have time to put it on Yang Guang for the time being. At least for a few years, Yang Guang would not threaten him. What he had to do now is to work hard to be the position of his prince.

It is May of the second year of Kaihuang. The summer harvest is not yet reached, and the weather is getting hot. People will sweat profusely when they walk around. However, Yang Yong had to take Li Gang, Fei Zheng, Liu Xingben and other people from the Prince's Mansion to run to the craftsmen's workshops in the court.

There were jingling sounds everywhere in the craftsman's workshop. The craftsmen were all naked, sweating like rain, and red in the distance. The craftsman's door picked up the hot copper juice and poured it onto the built mold. A sizzling sound suddenly came.

This is a coin minting workshop. As early as last year, Yang Yong reported to the emperor that the copper coins circulating in the Sui Dynasty were of varying quality, private money was flooded, and the currency system was chaotic, which was not conducive to the circulation of goods, so new coins must be minted.

Yang Jian agreed with Yang Yong's proposal, but he had to choose a good opportunity to mint new coins. Many of the big coins minted by the Great Zhou in the past must be abolished. Sui Ting could not exchange them according to their face value. This was a huge loss for merchants and civilians who had these big coins. If the aristocrats who benefited from private money were added to oppose them, they would accidentally lead to a new rebellion, so it was not until now that they really started to mint new coins.

Two workers came to Yang Yong with a large basket of golden copper coins. This was the new coin that had just been minted. Yang Yong picked up one and put it in front of him. The diameter of this copper coin was 2.3 to 2.5 cm, wide on the outside, and the five characters on the right were directly drawn to form an internal line. The two characters Wuzhu on the front of the copper coin were thin and neat, and the strokes were slightly thick, but they did not lose the exquisite and beautiful style.

This kind of money was minted by Wuzhu coins from the Han Dynasty. However, compared with Wuzhu in the Han Dynasty, the newly minted money is much smoother and flatter than Wuzhu in the Han Dynasty. This is because the method of minting coins has been greatly improved now, and it has been changed from the original Module to the mother coin turning sand and minting coins.

This kind of money has a heavy feeling in your hand, which is much better than the money circulating on the market now. Yang Yong said to the left and right: "Li Qing, Liu Qing, Fei Qing, you can also see, what is the new money?"

The three of them quickly learned the example, took a copper coin from the basket and put it in their hands to watch carefully. Li Gang first said: "Congratulations to the prince, this money is heavy and exquisite. As long as it is placed, the people will be happy to use it."

Liu Xingben and Fei Zheng also nodded repeatedly: "The prince has made contributions to minting money. When the emperor sees new money, he will definitely praise the prince."

Crushing money is related to the stability of the entire Sui Dynasty. Yang Yong dared not be careless. From the beginning of minting money, he had to go to the coin minting workshop almost every day for a month. Now that he finally saw the sample, Yang Yong also smiled and asked the manager of the coin minting workshop who had been standing beside him: "How much can you cast in a day?"

"When I go back to the prince, I am just trying to cast it now. I can only cast one or two thousand guan a day, and in one month, I can cast tens of thousands of guan a day."

The daily minting of 10,000 jin of coins is only more than 3 million jin a year. According to the previous statistics of the Ministry of Revenue, the copper coins minted by the court and private individuals are about 30,000 jin per year. Many of the coins are raised and minted, and they are minted and minted. Yang Yong remembered that his sugar transaction alone costs more than 2 million jin a year, and he couldn't help but shake his head. The money circulated on the market is definitely more than 3 million jin.

Although the Sui Dynasty now maintains a parallel pattern of silk and copper coins, due to the uneven quality of copper coins, many people would even use silk and cloth as money, if the country wants to develop, silk and cloth must be withdrawn. Once such new money is released, the people should not refuse. More than three million stagnant copper coins are still too small for the entire Sui Dynasty. If new money is to be circulated quickly across the country, it will be at least ten times more.

"Recruiting manpower immediately and expanding production. Our palace requires more than 100,000 guan of coins per day."

"Yes." The coin minting manager was a little reluctant to speak.

"What, are there any difficulties?"

"It is not difficult to recruit personnel when the prince returns to the prince. However, if it is expanded ten times, the copper materials in the casting workshop will only be enough for February. After February, if there is no new copper materials, the casting workshop will have no copper available."

Yang Yong smiled and said, "It doesn't matter. Once new money is used, the old money from all over the country will inevitably be collected again, and there will be no shortage of copper used in the workshop."

The chief executive said satisfiedly: "With the prince's guarantee, there is no problem with the humble position."

After visiting the money minting field, Yang Yong returned with satisfaction. When he arrived at the East Palace, Liu Xingben reported to Yang Yong: "Crown Prince, I am worried that after February, the copper material may not be available."

Yang Yong asked in confusion: "How could it be that a thousand new coins weigh four kilograms and two liang. Although most of the old coins are only a little more than three jin per thousand coins, the court exchange is not one to one, but counts according to the weight. If one thousand copper coins are sent out, four kilograms and two liang of copper materials will definitely be recovered. Is Liu Aiqing worried in vain?"

"The prince, the new coins are more copper and less tin, while the old coins are more tin. I am afraid that illegal merchants will use old coins to obtain new coins and then use new coins to recast them into old coins. In this way, the cycle will continue, and no matter how much money you cast in the court is useless."
Chapter completed!