Recreating the prosperous Tang begins with summoning players

Chapter 17 Iron Money
Zhang Mian paid his respects to Li Yan, and hurriedly said, "His Royal Highness King Jianning, I heard that you just deducted a few big food merchants who used fake money in Dongshi?"

Li Yan nodded and said, "That's right. Is it just for this matter that Zhang Taishou came here in a hurry?"

Zhang Mi said anxiously: "Your Majesty the King! No way! These big food merchants are very united, and that Arhan is the leader of the big food merchants. His Highness detained these merchants. I am afraid that the big food merchants will detour in the future. state!"

The prosperity of Dongshi City, Zhang Mian also saw it in his eyes.

For this King Jianning, Zhang Mian also admired him quite a lot, but Zhang Mian was also worried that Li Yan was too aggressive. Anyone who was an official in Longyou Dao knew that no matter what, he couldn't offend these big food merchants.

If you offend these big food merchants and they don't come to trade, then you will still be unlucky.

That's why Zhang Mian hurriedly found Li Yan, hoping that he would not be impulsive.

Li Yan looked at Zhang Mi and asked, "Prefect Zhang, according to the laws of the Tang Dynasty, are these big food merchants wrong?"

Zhang Mian was stunned for a moment. As a civil official, he must of course be familiar with Tang laws. He nodded and said, "Whether it is casting or intentionally using bad money, it has already violated Tang laws."

Li Yan said again: "These big food merchants use fake money in Guazhou, is it good for Guazhou?"

Zhang Mian immediately said: "Of course it is not good. Using fake money will disturb the order in Guazhou. If a large amount of fake money flows in, the local prices will also be disrupted."

Li Yan sat up straight and said, "Since the prefect knows that the Dashi businessman is at fault, why continue to talk about it? Is it because Tang Lv and Guazhou's economy are not important because of the overall situation? "

This time Zhang Mi was also stunned.

Li Yan stood up and said, "The prefect advised me to focus on the overall situation. I know you are also for the good of Guazhou. But what is the overall situation?"

"For the sake of a few big food merchants, today we are ignoring Tang's laws, and tomorrow we allow them to use fake money. Is this the overall situation?"

Zhang Mian lowered his head and did not speak.

Li Yan continued: "Prefect Zhang, what do ordinary people think when they see the big picture? What do the merchants in Dongshi think when they see it?"

"Just because the big food merchants are powerful, they mint fake money, and we indulge them in using fake money. Whose heart will be hurt? Whose heart will be hurt?"

"Over time, everyone in the city of Guazhou knows that as long as the situation is strong, they don't need to put Guazhou in their eyes, Tang Lv, or me, Tang."

"Are we going to let them do whatever they want just because they are big food merchants?"

Zhang Mian was stunned by Li Yan's words.

Li Yan continued: "If you want me to say, it doesn't matter if this big food merchant doesn't come."

"They mint fake money privately, and we don't punish them for buying things with fake money. I'm afraid the big food merchants who will enter Guazhou next will bring more fake money. We use the products we have worked hard to produce in exchange for a bunch of fake money. , then these businesses are meaningless.”

Zhang Mian lowered his head, feeling more and more that what Li Yan said was right.

But for a long time, it has been the normal state of Longyou Dao officials to indulge and appease the big food merchants.

Zhang Mian was greatly shocked by what Li Yan said today.

Li Yan continued: "Fake money is prohibited, this is my consistent attitude! Common people can't tell the authenticity of fake money, so don't these merchants who have been in the Tang Dynasty for many years also be unable to tell the authenticity of the money? No Maybe?"

"They deliberately use fake money to disrupt the economic order of our Tang Dynasty, and we must not tolerate it!"

"Interrogate that Alhan carefully, whether these big food merchants are secretly casting fake money. If it is found that they are privately casting fake money, then deal with it according to the law of the Tang Dynasty, and don't ask me again."

Zhang Mian opened his mouth, and swallowed the words of persuasion to Li Yan.

King Jianning is right. When did we, Tang Dynasty, need to be lenient and tolerant to treat foreigners?

These big food merchants won't come if they don't come!Anyway, the goods in Guazhou are very popular in the whole Longyou Road now, not bad for these big food merchants!

Zhang Mi resigned from Li Yan and took people to interrogate the group of big food merchants in person.

And the people in Guazhou City already knew about Li Yan's punishment of these big food merchants.All of a sudden, the whole city of Guazhou was excited, and everyone applauded for Li Yan's impartial law enforcement.

Anyone who does business in Guazhou has suffered from these big food merchants using fake money.

But the government has always tolerated them, and these businessmen are rich and powerful, so they walk sideways in Guazhou City.

This time, a big somersault happened, and those Datang merchants who had dealt with Dashi merchants and suffered losses were naturally very relieved.

Cui Tao returned to the barracks from the governor's mansion with a few fake money.

Today, Taishou Zhang himself was promoted to the court to try the case, which made Cui Tao know how troublesome it was to open the court in the Tang Dynasty.

Because casting counterfeit money is a felony of decapitation, every process must be clearly recorded.

When Cui Tao brought back the fake money, he first had to identify the authenticity of the money and make sure that it was all fake money.

Cui Ruoyun watched Cui Tao bring back the fake money, and said with a smile, "Are you rich? How much money is there?"

"Sister, these are all fake money. They are used in trial cases. Do you have a way to quickly identify which ones are fake money?"

Cui Ruoyun picked up a fake coin and said, "It's not that simple. Kaiyuan Tongbao is a copper coin, mixed with impurities such as iron, nickel, and lead. Your coin is obviously light. I'm afraid it was cast with zinc and a small amount of copper."

"In addition to the weighing method, the metal in the coin can also be determined through the displacement reaction, and the metal ions contained in the coin can also be determined through the flame reaction."

Cui Ruoyun took out a bunch of bottles and jars, and after experimenting for a while, she said doubtfully, "Hey, it's really strange that this fake money has a lot of iron in it."

Cui Tao quickly asked: "Sister, why is it strange?"

Cui Ruoyun said: "Copper is a precious metal, but iron ore is not easy to mine and smelt in this era, so there is also a tradition of using iron as money in ancient times."

"And since the Han Dynasty, the imperial court has implemented the policy of 'official salt and iron', and the iron mines are all controlled by the government."

Cui Tao nodded and said, "It was the same in the Tang Dynasty. The iron mines in Datang were all government-run, and private mining was prohibited. Yes, since the iron mines are government-run, how can there be so much iron in these fake money?"

Cui Ruoyun said: "If you buy ironware from the market and recast it into fake money, it's even more uneconomical if you count the money for craftsmanship. Then what's the point of making this fake money?"

Cui Ruoyun took out a magnifying glass that she made herself, looked at the fake money and said, "This money is made old on purpose, and the oxide layer is very new, so it should be cast recently."

Cui Tao's eyes lit up, he raised his head and said to Cui Ruoyun, "Sister, do you think this is possible?"

(End of this chapter)