Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 161 Pandora's box is opened! Enter Zhu Di, who is as fast as the wind!
"I want to borrow ten taels of silver. Here is the guarantee letter!"

"I want to borrow fifty taels! Here's the title deed!"

"I want to borrow three hundred taels!"

The counters of each branch of Daming Bank were crowded with people who came to borrow money.

Lending money at high interest rates has always been a chronic problem throughout the dynasties.

Even though the imperial court cracked down on it as a serious crime, it still continued to occur.

Borrowing usury is the root cause for many families to go from barely making ends meet to complete collapse, and be forced to sell their fields and land, and even their children.

This is different from modern society where most people borrow from banks for consumption, such as buying houses and cars.

People of this era are not like that.

However, due to the low level of productivity, the ability of most ordinary families to withstand risks is very low.

Once there is a natural disaster or man-made disaster, they can only rely on borrowing money to survive.

At this time, wealthy gentry would take advantage of the situation and lend them money at high interest rates.

Then the interest is added to the interest, and the interest is compounded until the poor families can no longer afford to pay back the money, and are forced to sell their property and land at low prices.

It can be said that the vast majority of land annexations in ancient society were achieved through this method.

Borrow money first, then collect the debt.

Just like Yang Bailao and Huang Shiren.

Protecting ancestral family property has always been a tradition. Unless people were left with no other options, why would they sell their ancestral homes and land?

One of the most important reforms of Wang Anshi in the Song Dynasty was the Qingmiao Law.

That is, the imperial court would lend money to alleviate the phenomenon of usury among the people, but in reality, the Qingmiao Law had little effect.

Because the loan period under the Qingmiao Law is very rigid, with loans required on a fixed date each year and repayments required on a fixed date, it cannot be used to protect against sudden risks, and the interest rate is also very high.

Secondly, since the lenders were local government officials, the officials would naturally not miss the opportunity to make money.

There are endless phenomena of secretly increasing interest rates and accepting benefits.

The government often goes further than the landlords and gentry.

As a result, many ordinary people would rather borrow money from private loan sharks than from the government.

But now that Ming Bank is lending, the situation is completely different.

First of all, the Ming Bank was an independently operated commercial institution. Although it was still funded by the imperial court, it was not a local government after all.

From review to lending, the Ming Bank was separate from the government.

Since local officials at all levels cannot intervene, there is naturally no possibility of exploiting the people and gaining benefits.

Secondly, Daming Bank’s lending is very flexible. Borrowing and repayment are possible at any time, and the terms are flexible, depending entirely on the agreement between the two parties.

Furthermore, Ming Bank has strong capital and there is no limit on the amount of loans it can provide.

As long as you have property as collateral, you can borrow money.

If you really don’t have one, you can also ask relatives and friends to act as a guarantor.

Unlike later societies, people of this era attach great importance to clan relationships.

There are quite a lot of people who are willing to come forward to guarantee loans for their relatives.

The most important point is that the interest rate of Ming Bank’s loans is really low!
So low that many people find it hard to believe.

However, it's not surprising.

After all, the capital of Ming Bank comes from depositors' deposits.

The interest rate for deposits is very low, and if you increase the loan a little, you can still make a profit.

At this moment, on the second floor of a business branch of the Ming Bank, Yang Shiqi looked at the crowd rushing in below, and his admiration for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince rose to a new level.

I'm afraid only His Royal Highness the Crown Prince could come up with such an ingenious idea.

He had been worried.

Because Ming Bank not only does not charge storage fees for depositing money, but you have to pay interest instead.

Although the interest rate is not high, it adds up to a considerable amount year after year.

In the early stages, those expenses can also be offset by attracting new deposits.

But it's still a loss after all.

What should I do after a long time?
Now, Yang Shiqi knew the answer.

Lend money!

With all this in and out, how could Ming Bank lose money?
It is clearly a business that makes a lot of money.

Moreover, the crackdown on private usury can be said to be devastating.

The stubborn problems that have plagued many dynasties have basically been solved.

Except for a very small number of gamblers with bad character, ordinary honest and kind-hearted people no longer have to beg loan sharks for help.

Merchants who had no money to do business now have capital.

Kill several birds with one stone.

Yang Shiqi vaguely felt that the impact might be far more than that.

However, he couldn't think of more for the time being.

……

"The Pandora's box of the bank has finally been opened!"

In the Eastern Palace, Zhu Yunhuan walked by the lake, talking softly to himself.

The previous Ming Bank only absorbed a large amount of deposits and only lent money to the Ming court.

Strictly speaking, it cannot be called a bank.

It was just an institution for raising funds for the Ming Dynasty court.

Only when it lends money to the private sector can it be considered a real bank.

Zhu Yunhuan has never been in a hurry to take this step.

One is to prevent the risk of bank runs when the bank’s credibility has not yet been established.

When people heard that the bank was going to lend money, they were worried that their money was not safe, so they all came to withdraw money.

At the same time, he is also well aware of the far-reaching impact of bank lending.

The development of the financial industry will inevitably bring prosperity to business.

The bank's own money amplification function will increase the amount of money circulating in society, thus bringing about a series of changes.

The Ming Dynasty will soon move from an agricultural society to a commercial society.

The rapid changes in social forms will bring a huge impact on the original rule.

The bureaucracy must make corresponding changes to adapt to the needs of governance.

This is something that many in the ruling class do not want to see.

After all, the ruling class is always the class that most desires stability.

The best society in their minds is one that remains unchanged forever.

But this is what Zhu Yunhuan wanted to see.

From imposing more commercial taxes, punishing the tycoons who evaded taxes, relaxing restrictions on business, to banks lending...

Every link in this process was within his calculations.

If a proposal to relax business restrictions were suddenly made, it would inevitably be opposed by the vast majority of officials in the court, and Zhu Yuanzhang would not support it either.

But with the previous public opinion as a prelude, and the banner of cracking down on tax evasion by royal relatives and market monopoly by wealthy people, the most vocal upright people in the court had to support him.

Once the upright officials expressed their support, other officials could only follow suit.

Thus, the obstacles to relaxing business restrictions were removed.

If Lao Zhu asks about it later, he will have something to say.

After all, all the civil and military officials in the court agreed, and he was not the only one who insisted on his own way.

Once a trend is formed, there will naturally be support from interest groups.

With prosperous business and the spread of scientific ideas, the Ming ship is setting sail for distant unknown waters.

"Your Highness, help me!"

Just as Zhu Yunhuan was daydreaming, a shrill scream suddenly came to his ears.

Immediately afterwards, the figure of the naughty child Zhu Gaoxu came into view.

There was another figure following behind.

"I asked you to protect the laws of the Ming Dynasty!"

"I'll let you be the Justice Bao of the Ming Dynasty!"

"I'll let you show off your bravery!"

"If I don't beat you to death today, I'm not your father!"

Zhu Di held a stick in his hand and chased while cursing.

Zhu Gaoxu was running desperately in front.

He was running towards him, shouting "Help".

Seeing this, Zhu Yunhuan couldn't help but laugh.

He immediately stepped forward, stopped Zhu Di and asked, "What's wrong with Fourth Uncle? Why are you so angry?"

When the naughty kid saw someone coming to help him, he suddenly became braver.

"Your Highness, please come and judge this matter."

"I punished the royal relatives who violated the law, but I received unanimous praise from the court and the public. Everyone praised me as the Bao Qingtian of the Ming Dynasty."

"I did that to uphold the dignity of Ming's laws and to ensure that our Ming dynasty will last for thousands of years."

"In the end, my father not only did not praise me for doing a good job, but instead blamed me for doing it. This is simply unreasonable."

"My father can't tell right from wrong."

"He is unworthy of being the prince of the Ming Dynasty!"

Zhu Di jumped up, veins popping out on his face, raised his stick, glared and said, "You little bastard, you're rebelling."

"You are so powerful now!" "You have arrested your uncle and so many relatives, and you think you are right!"

"Do you know how many people you will offend by doing this?"

"No, I have to teach you a lesson today."

Having said that, he rushed forward again.

Zhu Yunhuan quickly ordered the guards to stop him.

At the same time, he winked at Zhu Gaoxu: "Hurry up and leave!"

The naughty kid immediately ran away and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Zhu Di was panting and wanted to continue chasing, but he couldn't struggle free from the guards' hands.

"Uncle, calm down!" Zhu Yunhuan said with a smile, "Brother Xu is sincerely working for the country and upholding the dignity of the court's laws. This is a good thing. How can I blame him?"

Zhu Di glared at him and said indignantly: "If it's a good thing, why don't you, the crown prince, take the lead?"

"Why do you have to hide in the back and wait until Xu'er is done before coming out to pick peaches?"

"You know, Anqing and I have had a very good relationship since we were young, but after this incident, she has turned her back on me and no longer acknowledges me as her brother!"

If we were to say who offended the most people in the turmoil surrounding this commercial tax reform, it would naturally be that naughty kid Zhu Gaoxu.

After all, others are just cheering from the back, or following along, but the naughty kids are the only ones who are really charging forward in the front.

As for submitting a memorial to the court requesting severe punishment of royal relatives who evaded taxes, it was nothing at all.

After all, after the repeated instigation of the "Da Ming Daily" and the tax evasion incident fermented, even the lowest-ranking ninth-grade officials and the clerks guarding the city gates in Jinling City followed suit and reported the incident. Who could they blame?
"It's just a momentary anger. Aunt Anqing will figure it out."

Zhu Yunxun said: "Fourth uncle, you are wrongly accusing me by saying this!"

"Everyone in the world knows that I am the one who founded the Ming Daily."

"If the Ming Daily hadn't written an article to support Brother Xu and cheer him on, would this matter have been resolved so smoothly?"

Zhu Di was stunned for a moment.

If you put it that way, it does seem to make some sense.

Although Zhu Yunhuan never showed up, a series of articles and reports in the Ming Daily have clearly shown his attitude.

But he is the crown prince, the future emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

Others did not dare to point their spearheads directly at him.

If it were someone else, I'm afraid the "Da Ming Daily" would have been closed down or even burned down long ago.

Zhu Gaoxu certainly arrested those royal relatives, but the one who was actually "fanning the flames" and making it difficult for the royal relatives to back down was the Ming Daily.

If we were to say who the emperors and their relatives hated the most, the first newspaper that would definitely be mentioned would be the Ming Daily.

"You are the crown prince, so you are not afraid!" Zhu Di was still angry: "How can Xu'er compare with you?"

Zhu Yunhuan laughed loudly: "Is Fourth Uncle so afraid of offending people? In my opinion, Brother Xu has made a great contribution this time."

He took Zhu Di's hand and said, "The royal family system of our Ming Dynasty must be reformed."

This sentence finally made Zhu Di's expression change slightly: "What do you mean by this?"

Zhu Yunhuan waved his hand and ordered the guards to retreat.

When there was no one around, he said, "Uncle, this matter has not been announced to the public yet."

"Logically speaking, I shouldn't have told Fourth Uncle."

"However, since Brother Xu has made great contributions this time, and Fourth Uncle is not an outsider, I can reveal a few things."

"Grandpa Emperor said that the title of hereditary prince will only be given to those who have made contributions in the future."

"Unless one has made great contributions to the court, the title of prince cannot be inherited by the whole family, and can only be inherited at a lower level."

"Brother Xu works for the court. I remember all his contributions."

"And my cousin!"

Zhu Yunhuan lowered his voice and said, "If the two of them can make great contributions, it is not impossible for them to be crowned princes in the future."

"Otherwise, none of them would have the title of prince. At most, they would be made county princes or generals guarding the country."

"In the future generations, their numbers will gradually decrease until they are reduced to common people."

Zhu Di's expression changed drastically, and he asked, "Are you serious?"

Zhu Yunxun smiled and said, "Can you joke about this kind of thing?"

"In short, I let them work in the court for the sake of my fourth uncle."

"You have made great contributions, and there is a legitimate reason for you to be conferred a title in the future."

"If Fourth Uncle doesn't believe in me and doesn't want his descendants to inherit the title of prince, then I will remove them from their positions."

"Don't let them work in the court anymore. Let them go back to the palace to study."

"What do you think, Uncle?"

Zhu Di smiled heartily: "Your Highness the Crown Prince is joking."

"I wish they could come out and help His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

"How can I not believe it?"

"I will have to rely on His Royal Highness the Crown Prince for support in the future."

His expression changed instantly and he said, "Xu'er looks like me!"

"Although he is young, he is very courageous and daring. He is a man who will accomplish great things!"

"He was in charge of the taxation department and made great contributions to the court's reform of commercial taxes."

"You are indeed our good son!"

"Hahaha!"

Zhu Di laughed triumphantly, his face full of pride.

He completely forgot that he had just been cursing Zhu Gaoxu and chasing him to beat him.

In order to pass on the title of prince to future generations and to obtain the qualification of hereditary succession, what does it matter if you offend a few relatives?

Zhu Yunhuan also laughed, and while laughing he took the stick from Zhu Di's hand.

There was still no trace of embarrassment on Zhu Di's face, as if he was completely unaware.

"There is another reason why Fourth Uncle was asked to leave the Daming Military Academy this time."

Zhu Yunhuan secretly admired Zhu Di's shamelessness.

Zhu Di was deliberately trapped in the Military Academy because people were afraid that he would come to disrupt Zhu Gaoxu's plans.

Zhu Di was not allowed to come out until the matter was settled.

"I would like to ask my fourth uncle to serve as the clan leader of the clan government."

The Chief of the Imperial Clan was the chief official of the Imperial Clan Court, in charge of the affiliations of the imperial family.

Ordinary requests from royal family members were reported to the court by the clan leader, who was also responsible for recommending talented people in the clan, recording the mistakes of royal family members, etc.

Although Zhu Yunhuan planned to send all the princes of the royal family overseas, he could not completely ignore them.

It is still necessary to strictly discipline the royal family members.

If we leave those people alone, they can do things far worse than bandits.

Ordinary officials are simply unable to control the royal relatives, nor do they dare to do so.

There must be a prince in charge.

Moreover, he cannot be an ordinary prince.

Be able to control the other princes!

"A clan order?" Zhu Di was obviously surprised.

"Isn't the current clan leader my second brother?"

Zhu Yunhuan gave him a deep look and said, "The King of Qin and the King of Jin have committed a serious crime by leaving the capital without permission."

"The King of Qin can no longer serve as the head of the clan, and the same goes for the King of Jin."

"Except for the two of them, you, Fourth Uncle, are the leader of all the kings. Naturally, the position of the clan leader belongs to Fourth Uncle."

"Why, Uncle, you don't want to take the responsibility?"

Zhu Di looked a little dazed.

At this time, the Zongrenfu still had great power.

He was originally the Right Minister of the Imperial Court.

Logically speaking, it would not be his turn to be the clan leader.

But Zhu Di became Zhu Yunhuan's disciple, while the Prince of Qin and the Prince of Jin were still against Zhu Yunhuan.

Of course Zhu Yunhuan had to use his own people.

It became natural to support Zhu Di in taking charge of the Ministry of Clan Affairs.

"Thank you, Your Highness!" Zhu Di did not refuse: "Taking care of the royal family is our responsibility. Since Your Highness thinks highly of me, I will naturally do my duty."

Once he becomes the clan leader, he will be able to defeat Prince Jin in the future when he competes with him.

Fortunately, I had the foresight to become Zhu Yunhuan's disciple early on.

Otherwise, how could he get the position of the clan leader?

Zhu Yunhuan nodded gently and said, "I hope that in the future, all the royal family members can serve the court loyally like my fourth uncle and my cousins."

“This is how it will last forever.”

"The King of Qin is so perverse and cruel, I'm afraid he will end up killing himself!"

These few words are very meaningful.

Zhu Di was shocked and looked at Zhu Yunhuan with surprise and suspicion.

"What happened to my second brother?"

"Alas!" Zhu Yunhuan sighed softly, but suddenly smiled and said, "Don't mention him anymore."

"Today I will host a dinner for Fourth Uncle to celebrate Brother Xu's success."

……

(End of this chapter)