Six days passed.

For the officials in Nanjing, six days was just a blink of an eye, and time soon came to March 18th in the 18th year of Chongzhen.

Zhang Youyu, the Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, has pretty good work ability.

In just six days, Zhang Youyu personally led a group of officials from the Ministry of Revenue to draw up detailed regulations for the Hubu Exchange and the Ming Dynasty Hubu Bank.

Immediately, Zhang Youyu came to the cabinet with the prepared terms.

After Shi Kefa and the other four people had read the statement, Zhang Youyu asked: "What do you think of the four elders?"

Gao Hongtu said: "There is no problem with the general direction, but some details still need to be reviewed."

Shi Kefa glanced at Gao Hongtu helplessly and said, "Then let's review it item by item."

"It should be so." Gao Hongtu nodded and said first, "First of all, the total amount of the first bond issuance. I think that only five million taels are too small. It must be at least quadrupled to 20 million taels!"

"Twenty million taels?" Zhang Youyu was surprised when he heard this, it was too cruel.

Jiang Yueguang and Xie Xuelong were also a little frightened. This step was too big.

Zhang Youyu said: "This is always the case in Gaoge. This first issue of bonds is just a trial, because no one knows whether the gentry and merchants in Jiangnan really recognize this model."

"One Sword Dominates"

“That’s why we need to increase the amount of debt issuance.”

Gao Hongtu said: "Because if we miss this village, we won't have this store."

Zhang Youyu then turned his attention to Shi Kefa, and the chief assistant had to nod for this matter.

Shi Kefa solemnly said: "I think we shouldn't take too big a step at the beginning, so let's sell five million taels first. If the gentry and merchants rush to buy it, it won't be too late to sell the second tranche of bonds."

Jiang Yueguang and Xie Xuelong agreed: "I also think that we shouldn't be too hasty in doing things."

"Okay." Gao Hongtu said helplessly, "Then try to sell five million taels first."

After a pause, Gao Hongtu added: "Also, the interest rate is too high. A debt of one year will be worth 11 percent, a debt of three years will be worth 14 percent, a debt of five years will be worth 18 percent, and a debt of ten years will be worth 3 percent.

Ten returns is really too high!”

"Huh?" Zhang Youyu said, "Mr. Gao Ge, the second phase of bonds sold by the Ministry of Internal Affairs is the interest rate. We can't set it lower than the Ministry of Internal Affairs, otherwise who will buy it?"

"That's ridiculous." Gao Hongtu said, "Who among the Jiangnan Jin gentry and merchants who buy and sell bonds really cares about the interest rate? What they are greedy for is the difference between buying low and selling high, so the bonds sold by our Hubu Exchange are completely acceptable.

Set the interest rate as low as possible, because no matter how low you set it, people will still buy it."

Gao Hongtu's words got to the point.

"I have the same view as Mr. Gao Ge on this matter." Xie Xuelong said, "The interest rate can be set lower."

Seeing that Shi Kefa and Jiang Yueguang did not object, Zhang Youyu asked: "How much should we set?"

Gao Hongtu made the decision in one sentence: "The debt for one year will be one hundred and one, the debt for three years will be one hundred and thirty, the debt for five years and debt will be one hundred and fifty, and the debt for ten years will be the number of eleven. As long as the Ministry of Household Affairs takes the Nazhi tax as an offset,

Jin gentry merchants will definitely buy it."

After a pause, he continued: "To put it bluntly, their money will only grow ashes when stored in the cellar. But if they deposit it into the bank account of the Ministry of Accounts and then buy bonds, they can have a drought and flood protection of 100% every year, so why bother?"

Not for?"

"Okay." Zhang Youyu said helplessly, "Then tentatively it will be one hundred and one days a year."

There was no problem with the other details. Zhang Youyu took the regulations back to the Ministry of Household Affairs to draft them again.

Watching Zhang Youyu leave, Shi Kefa asked: "Is there any report coming to Huai'an Prefecture today?"

"No." Gao Hongtu shook his head and said, "I just went to the General Affairs Department to check, and there is no Huaian newspaper."

"Can't you even send out the Tang News?" Jiang Yueguang said worriedly, "So, Jiannu has completed the siege of Shanyang City on all sides."

Xie Xuelong also sighed: "I don't know how many more days I can last."

"How many more days Huai'an Prefecture can hold out a few days less will not affect the overall situation." Gao Hongtu waved his hand and said, "We only need to do a good job in the defense of the Yangtze River. If the slaves don't have a navy, they can't even think about crossing the Yangtze River."

After a pause, Gao Hongtu continued: "As long as Nanjing City remains, the Ming Dynasty will still exist!"

Jie Xuelong Youyou said: "Having said that, I still hope that Shanyang Mansion can hold on for a few more days, so that we can be better prepared. At least Nan'an Marquis will send another navy here."

"That said, why don't I want Huai'an Prefecture to hold on for a few more days?" Gao Hongtu said angrily, "But the problem is, you have to be able to hold on to Huai'an Prefecture. With just a few unknown people, Huai'an Prefecture can hold on.

Can you live there?"

Jie Xue Long Muran, can Huai'an Mansion hold on?

I'm afraid I might not be able to hold on.

…

At the same time, at Prince Rui’s Mansion in Beijing.

Dorgon once again summoned Ning Wanwo, Fan Wencheng and Hong Chengchou to his residence.

Dorgon said: "Three gentlemen, our Qing army's war in Xuzhou did not go smoothly. Except for the loss of 900 Bagara in the first battle, many more were lost later."

Ning Wanmei said: "Chongzhen has been operating in Xuzhou for several months, so this was expected."

Hong Chengchou said: "But master, you don't have to worry about this, because there is no need for our Qing troops to spend time with Chongzhen in Xuzhou. We only need to leave a partial force to surround Xuzhou, and then use another force to divert to Huai'an and Yangzhou."

, all the way south to Nanjing, then half of the south wall of the Yangtze River can be swept down in one go."

"Heng Jiu's words are indeed old-fashioned words for seeking a country." Dorgon praised, "Prince Yu acted according to this idea. He left two red flags, the Zhenglan Banner and the Eight Banners Han Army. The Eight Banners Mongolians surrounded Xuzhou.

Then I personally led the two white flags and the blue flag along Huai'an Prefecture and Yangzhou Prefecture all the way south, but it's a pity..."

Hong Chengchou said: "Master, what's the pity?"

Dorgon said: "It's a pity that we encountered hard problems in Huai'an Mansion."

"Hard stubble?" Ning Wanwu said, "Chongzhen stationed a border army in Xia Town, Pizhou and Xuzhou. Is it possible that there are also border troops in Huai'an Prefecture?"

"Can't you?" Hong Chengchou said, "Nanming doesn't have that many frontier troops."

Dorgon said: "There are no frontier troops in Huai'an Prefecture, only local braves."

"Xiang Yong?" Hong Chengchou and the other three looked at each other. How could Xiang Yong stop the Eight Banners elite?

"With tens of thousands of village warriors alone, it is natural that they cannot stop the Eight Banners elites." Dorgon said, "However, the scholar who leads the village warriors to defend the city is a powerful person. This person not only knows the key to defending the city, but is also extremely cunning.

, all kinds of conspiracies and tricks are simply endless, Prince Yu was on guard in every possible way, but he still fell into the trap of this person three times in a row!"

"Uh?" Hong Chengchou and the other three looked at each other in confusion again.

After a long while, Ning finished and I asked: "Master, can you give me more details?"

"Yes." Dorgon nodded and said, "The first time was when Prince Yu's army just arrived. This man sent a group of dead soldiers, armed with meng kerosene and Qiao Zhuang, to sneak into our army's camp.

The fire burned a month's worth of rations, hundreds of thousands of heavy arrows, and hundreds of carriages."

"This man is indeed courageous." Hong Chengchou said solemnly, "He can think things that ordinary people cannot think of."

"That's right." Dorgon nodded and said, "The second time was two days later, when the Zhengbai flag was burned. This person sent a group of dead soldiers to sneak into our army camp again, and released them again.

Even though the loss this time was not as great as the first time, it still burned half a month's worth of rations carried by Zhengbai Qi."

"Ah? Another fever?" Ning Wan and Fan Wencheng were dumbfounded.

"This person is really well-intentioned!" Hong Chengchou couldn't help but praise, "The so-called surprise is to attack the enemy unprepared! Zhengbai Qi must not have expected this at all, so he did it."

"That's exactly it." Dorgon exclaimed, "The white flag is completely defenseless."

After Ning finished, I couldn't help but ask: "I dare to ask Master, but I don't know what the third time is?"

"The third time I still set fire." Dorgon said with a sigh, "When I was a child, I read the Romance of the Three Kingdoms and lamented that Zhuge Kongming knew how to set fire, but that was true after all. However, this man's method of arson is really superb."

Hong Chengchou asked: "Master, I wonder how this person set the fire for the third time?"

Dorgon said: "Prince Yu, because he did not carry a red cannon and the cost of a strong attack was too high, decided to demolish the eight turrets in the east and west cities of Shanyang. Then one night, this man actually ordered Xiang Yong to lower the city.

Next, a large amount of sulfur, fire salt, gunpowder and other materials were buried under the eight turrets in advance."

"The next day was pleasant, and the elite soldiers with blue flags and coats arrived under the eight turrets with their carriages."

Speaking of this meal, Dorgon said secretly: "Immediately, the defenders in the city and countryside lit the fuse. The fire and the explosion killed the four elite bannermen of Xianglan Banner in one go, plus more than 2,000 bags.

The Yi slaves! Prince Yu said in his letter that it took most of the day for the deceased flag men and Bao Yi slaves to be burned!"

"This?!" Ning Wanwo and Fan Wencheng looked shocked.

Hong Chengchou also asked: "Master, what is this man's name?"

"This person's surname is Yan and his given name is Yingyuan." Dorgon said solemnly, "His given name is Jianheng. Can Hengjiu recognize this person?"

"Yan Yingyuan? His pseudonym is Jianheng?" Hong Chengchou looked confused. He had never heard of it. Where did this person come from?

"Heng Jiu doesn't know this person? It seems that he was just an unknown person." The expression on Dorgon's face turned cold and he said gloomily, "In this case, things will be a little troublesome."

"Master, did you just say that this person is a scholar?" Hong Chengchou asked.

"Yes." Dorgon said, "He is one of the more than 6,000 scholars recruited by Chongzhen under the guise of the imperial edict!"

Speaking of this, Dorgon stared into Hong Chengchou's eyes and said with a complicated expression: "Hengjiu, I have to admit that you Han people are really capable, and a unknown person can be so powerful!"

"Master, after all, such people are in the minority." Hong Chengchou said, "What's more, the power of our Qing soldiers cannot be competed by just one or two military wizards. I believe that Prince Yu will be able to defeat Shanyang."
To be continued...