My father is Chongzhen? Then I have no choice but to rebel.

Chapter 223 Oh no! The Emperor is here to steal our money again!
Time passed quietly, and in a blink of an eye, it was three days later.

Finally, exciting news came from the Firearms Research Institute, that is, ten steam forging machines were finally successfully manufactured.

Behind this, the powerful driving force of money is clearly revealed.

No matter the required funds, manpower or materials, they can all be adequately supplied.

As long as Wang Wei made a request, the relevant government offices would respond quickly, providing people, money, and materials. It was this full support that enabled Wang Wei to complete the task so quickly.

Moreover, these steam forging machines were not built as a whole, but were first made into individual parts, and then these parts were transported to the Baochao Tizhusi.

There, craftsmen will reassemble them according to Wang Wei's drawings.

In this way, these ten steam forging machines, which embodied the hard work of everyone, were firmly established in the Baochao Tizhusi.

After all, the core responsibility of the Firearms Research Institute is firearms research and development, and it does not involve currency manufacturing business.

So after careful consideration, Zhu Cilang decided to entrust the important task of manufacturing gold and silver coins to the Baochao Tizhusi.

From then on, the functions of the Baochao Tizhusi were greatly expanded. It was not only responsible for printing Ming Baochao, but also for minting Ming gold coins and Ming silver coins.

Two days later, the Baochao Tizhusi was bustling with activity. The ten steam forging machines were all assembled and put into intensive operation.

The machines made a low and powerful roar, as if announcing that Ming Dynasty was about to enter the industrial age.

At the same time, Zhu Cilang had already ordered the mobilization of a large amount of silver from the Ministry of Revenue and the Imperial Treasury to be used for minting Ming silver coins and Ming gold coins.

At one time, almost all the gold and silver in the national treasury and the inner treasury storehouses were called out, loaded onto trucks and transported to the Baochao Tizhusi.

However, the Minister of Finance Ni Yuanlu still seemed to have doubts, fearing that after the Ming gold coins were minted, the emperor would put them all into the treasury, putting the court's finances into a passive situation again.

So, after careful consideration, Ni Yuanlu sent a large number of officials to the Baochaosi to conduct close surveillance.

Ensure that some of these minted Ming Dynasty gold coins and Ming Dynasty gold coins can return to the Ministry of Revenue.

It is not difficult to see from his actions that Ni Yuanlu, the Minister of Revenue, lacked sufficient trust in Chongzhen.

When Zhu Cilang learned about this, he just shook his head slightly and didn't care about it.

Anyway, in his opinion, the money is actually his, so what is there to care about?
In addition, in recent times, Zhu Cilang has readjusted the material ratios of Ming Dynasty silver coins and Ming Dynasty gold coins.

After in-depth discussions with the craftsmen, it was finally decided that the Ming Dynasty silver coin would be made of 90 percent silver mixed with some other metals.

The reason for doing this is to prevent the Ming Dynasty silver coins from oxidizing and rusting during daily circulation and to extend their service life.

The material of the Ming Dynasty gold coins has also been adjusted, with gold accounting for more than 95%.

At the same time, some other metals are added to increase the hardness of the gold coin, making it more wear-resistant and durable during use and storage.

Of course, Zhu Cilang also knew that these matters were of vital importance to the people, so when issuing new currency, he would explain the reasons in detail to the people so that everyone would understand clearly.

In addition, the printing of the new version of Ming Dynasty treasure notes is also progressing at full speed.

Based on the previous survey results of the Ministry of Revenue, and taking into account market demand and financial conditions, it was finally decided to print Ming Dynasty treasure notes with a face value of 100 million first.

Of course, these Ming Dynasty treasure notes are not all of the same denomination, and the majority of them are of small denominations.

After all, it is impossible for ordinary people to spend a whole string of Ming Dynasty treasure notes at once. Small-denomination Ming Dynasty treasure notes are more suitable for circulation among the people.

Overall, it is expected that no less than 800 million new Ming Dynasty treasure notes will be printed this time.

Moreover, the production process of the new version of Ming Dynasty treasure notes is extremely complicated, and every step cannot be sloppy.

From the selection of paper, to the carving of patterns, to the control of printing technology, it all requires a lot of manpower, material resources and time.

Printing these 800 million new Ming Dynasty treasure notes is indeed a daunting task.

Fortunately, Zhu Cilang had made plans in advance and reserved sufficient time to ensure that this work proceeded smoothly.

A few days later, the sun was shining brightly, and Zhu Cilang was leisurely fishing by the garden pond in the East Palace.

There was clear water in the pond, and lotus leaves everywhere. Occasionally a few goldfish swam by, causing ripples on the water, which looked very pleasant!
Just then, Li Ruolian hurried over.

Zhu Cilang noticed someone approaching, looked up, and then saw Li Ruolian.

"what's up?"

Zhu Cixiang asked.

Li Ruo Lian hurriedly bowed and said:

"Your Highness, according to a secret report from the Imperial Guards, someone in the capital has been aggressively purchasing old Ming Dynasty banknotes."

Zhu Cilang still held the fishing rod, without moving, and asked calmly:

"If I'm not mistaken, the people who did this should be those officials and nobles, right?"

Li Ruo Lian hurriedly said again:
"Your Highness the Crown Prince is wise, indeed!"

"According to the ministers' investigation, those involved in this incident are the sons of nobles in the court and the families of some ministers."

"These past few days, they've been buying up large quantities of Ming Dynasty treasure notes at a price of around sixty-five wen."

"According to the Jinyiwei, they have recently bought up almost all the Ming Dynasty treasure notes on the market."

When Zhu Cilang heard this, he still didn't care too much.

At this moment, the float on the water suddenly shook, as if a fish was hooked!

Zhu Cilang hurriedly picked up the fishing rod, but was disappointed. The hook was empty and there was no fish at all.

Zhu Cilang curled his lips, then slowly threw the fishing hook down again.

Actually, what Li Ruolian just described was completely within Zhu Cilang's expectations.

He knew in his heart that no matter when and where, once the court introduced a new policy, those powerful people in high positions would always be able to keenly seize the opportunities for benefit.

And become the first group to benefit.

This phenomenon is almost an inevitable chronic disease in the process of historical development. Even in later generations, similar situations are not uncommon.

Therefore, Zhu Cilang did not deliberately change this.

Moreover, in Zhu Cilang's view, doing so is not without benefits.

The rich and powerful collected a large number of old versions of banknotes from the people, which, to a certain extent, actually accelerated the circulation of the new version of banknotes.

Furthermore, this matter actually has little to do with the common people.

This is because ordinary people mainly use copper coins for transactions, and at most have some small change on hand.

They do not usually use the Ming Baochao, a currency with a large denomination and relatively limited usage.

The people who used the treasure notes the most were the nobles, officials and merchants in the capital, because the imperial court had long stipulated that part of the taxes had to be paid with Ming treasure notes.

but
Zhu Cilang held the fishing rod in his hand and thought quietly for a while. He felt that it was about time to announce the currency reform.

After all, a lot of Ming treasure notes, Ming gold coins and Ming silver coins have been produced, and you are about to complete the transformation of the Ming Royal Bank.

Judging from all aspects, it is indeed time to put currency reform on the agenda.

Well, you read that right!
Zhu Cilang did not plan to build a new Ming Royal Bank on a large scale, but instead planned to renovate a government office and use it as the headquarters of the Ming Royal Bank.

After all, Beijing has gone through more than three hundred years of wind and rain, and various buildings with different styles are scattered throughout the city.

No matter what function the building needs, you can always find a suitable one for renovation.

For example, the previous Firearms Research Institute and Daming Newspaper were almost all rebuilt in this way.

After all, compared to reconstruction, renovation not only saves a lot of time and money, but also makes full use of existing resources. Why not do it?
After thinking for a while, Zhu Cilang put down his fishing rod, turned to look at Li Ruolian and said calmly:
"Go to the Daming Newspaper right now and tell them to change all the headlines on tomorrow's front page to be about currency reform."

"As for the specific matters, Xue Guoguan knows what to do."

Li Ruo Lian's expression froze, and he quickly accepted the order and said:
"I'll go right away!"

Then he turned around quickly and retreated with steady steps.

Zhu Cilang picked up the fishing rod again and continued to fish slowly.

Beside him, a large group of clean soldiers and guards stood in neat rows.

These people may not be top masters in martial arts, but they all have one thing in common, that is, they can swim.

Zhu Cilang had already secretly made up his mind that from now on, whenever he was in a place with water, these people must be by his side to protect him at all times.

After all, the rumor that the Ming Emperor is easily soluble in water is not groundless. For your own safety, you have to be on guard.

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye it is the next morning.

At daybreak, a large crowd of people had already gathered at the gate of the Daming Newspaper Office like a tide, eagerly waiting for the new day's Daming Daily.

It has to be said that reading the Daming Daily every day has become an indispensable part of the daily life of some people.

If I don’t read it every morning, I feel uncomfortable, as if something important is missing in my life.

Ultimately, it was because the lives of ancient people were too monotonous and boring, and there was a lack of rich and diverse entertainment facilities, so they could only rely on reading newspapers to pass their leisure time and learn about the outside world.

When the first scholar-looking man got the latest edition of the Daming Daily with great anticipation, he glanced at the contents and couldn't help but exclaimed in surprise:
"Oh my! What's going on? The newspaper said that the Ming Dynasty is about to carry out currency reform."

"They also plan to scrap the previous Ming Dynasty Treasure Notes, and gold and silver must be exchanged for the designated currency at the imperial court before they can be used!"

What? ? ? ? ?
Hearing this, the people around who couldn't afford to buy newspapers but were eager to know the content were instantly in an uproar.

There was a sudden noise in the crowd.

Someone frowned and asked loudly:

"What the hell is going on? Why are they suddenly carrying out currency reform?"

"Now one guan of Ming Dynasty treasure notes is only worth sixty wen. What's the point of reform?"

"Could it be that the imperial court wants us to exchange silver for Ming Dynasty treasure notes? No, no, I've suffered losses from this before, and I will never exchange it again."

For a moment, the people around were talking about it.

In their view, this was not a currency reform at all, it was clearly the emperor using various excuses to rob them of their money!

I originally thought that after the great victory in Liaodong, the emperor had changed and was no longer as incompetent and cruel as before, but unexpectedly he was still the same.

This immediately made them feel extremely disappointed, and they all showed frustrated expressions on their faces.

At this moment, the scholar who had been reading the newspaper stood up again. He waved his hand hastily and said loudly:
"No, no, no, don't misunderstand me, that's not the case."

Then, the scholar began to explain the contents of the newspaper word by word:
"It says that His Majesty the Emperor has decided to reform the existing Ming Treasure Notes. Although the old Ming Treasure Notes can no longer be used, they can be exchanged for the new Ming Treasure Notes."

"One guan of the old Ming treasure notes can be exchanged for one guan and eighty wen of the new Ming treasure notes."

"Moreover, the new version of the Ming Treasure Note can also be used to exchange for Ming silver coins or Ming gold coins, both of which are also new versions of the currency."

"In addition, the silver and gold previously in circulation are no longer allowed to be used. Instead, they must be taken to the newly established government office, the Ming Royal Bank, to exchange for the new Ming silver and Ming gold coins."

"It also says that from now on, Ming Baochao, Ming Gold Coin, and Ming Silver Coin will be interchangeable."

"You can use Ming Treasure Notes to exchange for Ming Gold Coins and Ming Silver Coins, or you can use Ming Gold Coins or Ming Silver Coins to exchange for Treasure Notes. All currencies are universal."

what?
After hearing the scholar's words, the people around him immediately started whispering to each other.

Because this is very different from what they originally knew.

In the past, although the Ming Baochao had undergone several reforms, there was always a serious problem, that is, the Ming Baochao and gold and silver were not interchangeable.

The people could use gold and silver to buy Ming treasure notes, but they could not use Ming treasure notes to buy gold, silver and other materials. This brought many inconveniences to daily transactions and was a disguised way of taking their money away.

But now it seems that the court has finally realized this problem and has begun to carry out reforms, which makes the people both surprised and somewhat skeptical.

After a moment, someone in the crowd said with doubt:

"Why do I feel like this isn't very reliable? When in the past few hundred years has the Ming Dynasty allowed the exchange of Ming Baochao with gold and silver? Are they trying to trick us?"

The scholar scratched his head a little embarrassedly, and then said:
"I don't know about that, but it's what the newspaper said, so I guess it's true."

"Think about it, in the past few months, is there anything in this newspaper that is not true?"

After hearing this, the suspicions of the people around them instantly decreased a little.

After all, in recent months, they have been paying close attention to the Daming Daily, and the content reported in the newspaper is basically true and reliable, and there has never been any false information.

This means that the news about currency reform is likely to be true and not groundless.

The next second, a middle-aged man in the crowd suddenly slapped his forehead and said with sudden enlightenment:
"Oh, I suddenly remembered something. My family runs a small business, and recently, people have been coming to our house to ask about buying our Ming Dynasty treasure notes with copper coins or silver."

"And it's always sixty-five coins."

"I was quite happy at the time, but now I think about it, maybe they also knew about the currency reform and wanted to stockpile Ming treasure notes in advance?"

"After all, I heard it clearly just now. The court stipulated that one guan of the old version of the Ming Dynasty treasure notes could be exchanged for eighty wen. They accepted it at sixty-five wen, so they could earn fifteen wen per guan." "Although one guan may not seem like much, my family directly exchanged it for one thousand guan!"

"That's fifteen thousand coins, equivalent to fifteen taels of silver."

At the end of his speech, the middle-aged man looked annoyed, and the flesh on his face twitched a few times, as if he was heartbroken for the wealth he had missed.

Come to think of it, if you accidentally lost fifteen taels of silver, anyone would be heartbroken.

For a moment, the people around started discussing the matter more heatedly.

Everyone was talking and expressing their opinions, and the atmosphere became increasingly heated.

As the Ming Daily was sent to various places, people everywhere began to discuss this matter enthusiastically.

In this way, in just one day, the people of the entire capital knew the news that the Ming Dynasty was about to carry out currency reform.

As a result, all the Ming Dynasty treasure notes on the market suddenly became in short supply, like rare treasures, and were no longer easily circulated in the market.

Everyone secretly and carefully hoarded the Ming Dynasty treasure notes, and was looking forward to exchanging them for the new version of the Ming Dynasty treasure notes after the court officially started the exchange business.

We hope to protect our own interests as much as possible in this monetary change.

As for those who had previously sold the Ming treasure notes for sixty-five coins, they could only stand on the street and look at the bustling crowd, regretting it too late.

It’s okay if you sell less, the discomfort will pass after a while.

Maybe they sold too much, so they would be miserable for several days.
However, there is no medicine for regret in the world, and they can only swallow this loss helplessly, leaving behind only regret and annoyance in their hearts.

Time flies, and several days have passed in the blink of an eye.

Finally, on this day, the highly anticipated Ming Royal Bank was officially completed.

The sunlight gently fell on all parts of the capital, and also on Zhu Cilang.

Knowing that the Ming Royal Bank had been officially completed, Zhu Cilang planned to come and see it in person.

The Ming Royal Bank is located in a prosperous area of the capital. The building is magnificent, with carved beams and painted buildings between the eaves and brackets, and exquisite patterns and brilliant colors complement each other.

The whole building is magnificent and shows the royal majesty

Because this is a royal property, the building is cleverly decorated with royal dragon patterns throughout. Some dragon patterns are coiled above the roof, looking lifelike and as if they are about to take off into the sky.

Some are engraved on the gate, which is majestic and solemn, demonstrating the royal dignity and power, making the whole building look extremely grand and spectacular.

Zhu Cilang looked up at the building that embodied the hard work of many craftsmen, his eyes full of satisfaction.

Such a grand bank will definitely add some confidence to the currency reform of the Ming Dynasty.

Then, as everyone was busy and orderly, a large number of brand new Ming Dynasty banknotes, golden Ming Dynasty gold coins and shining Ming Dynasty silver coins were carried in one after another.

Boxes of banknotes were stacked neatly, and bags of gold and silver coins collided with each other, making crisp and pleasant sounds.

At the same time, all kinds of personnel who had been carefully trained before were also wearing uniform clothes, ready to officially take up their posts tomorrow.

They were either sorting out accounts behind the counter or familiarizing themselves with the business procedures in the lobby. Everything was ready, waiting for the official start of the exchange business the next day.

Of course, in addition to the exchange business, the Ming Royal Bank also engaged in storage business, which is equivalent to the deposit business in later generations.

However, considering that the currency reform has just begun, services such as deposits will probably not be officially launched until later.

In addition, although the Baochao Tizhusi has been printing Ming Baochao, minting Ming silver coins and Ming gold coins day and night in recent times.

But to this day, less than 80 million copies of the new version of the Ming Dynasty Treasure Notes have been printed, and the total number of Ming Dynasty gold and silver coins is no more than 30 million.

But Zhu Cilang knew that although the quantity of these things was small, they actually had the conditions to start the initial exchange work.

That afternoon, the East Palace was filled with silence and solemnity.

Zhu Cilang sat upright in the study with a calm expression.

Not long after, a man walked in with the sound of footsteps.

"Your Highness, Zhang Shize, pays homage to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"

When Zhang Shize entered the study and saw Zhu Cilang, he bowed respectfully.

Zhu Cilang raised his hand, motioning him to stand up, then asked with an interested smile:

"Why? I heard that you bought a lot of Ming Dynasty treasure notes at a low price some time ago. It seems that you must have made a lot of money, right?"

When Zhang Shize heard this, his heart suddenly skipped a beat and he was shocked.

Because his family was indeed involved in this matter.

In fact, it was not just his family that was involved. Looking around, almost all the nobles were involved in this treasure note acquisition storm.

However, under the circumstances at the time, he did not think there was anything wrong with it. After all, Zhu Cilang did not say that they were not allowed to purchase treasure notes.

But now, when he suddenly heard Zhu Cilang ask this question, he became nervous in an instant, countless thoughts flashed through his mind, and he thought that Zhu Cilang was going to blame him.

At that moment, Zhang Shize's legs softened again, and he quickly knelt on the ground again, saying with a trembling voice:

"I am aware of my guilt."

Zhu Cilang felt helpless when he saw him panicking. He then walked over and helped him up personally, then said gently:
"What do you mean by knowing your guilt or not? Do you think I'm blaming you?"

"If this were really not allowed to happen, I would have sent the Imperial Guards to tell you long ago, so you don't have to worry so much."

"This kind of thing is allowed by me!"

After hearing this, Zhang Shize felt relieved and breathed a sigh of relief.

However, he also keenly guessed at this time that Zhu Cilang summoned him today, probably because of the treasure note matter.

But the next second, he heard Zhu Cilang continue:
"I'm going to hold a banquet in the East Palace tonight. Call all the noble sons and daughters here. Don't leave any of them behind. I have something to say to them."

Zhang Shize heard this, how could he refuse in the slightest, and said respectfully:
"Don't worry, Your Highness. I will do it right away."

Zhu Cilang then gave a few more instructions, and Zhang Shize turned and left.

So that afternoon, Zhang Shize informed everyone about the prince's banquet. The noble sons who received the news instantly became extremely alert.

There was no other way. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince personally invited them, how could they dare not take it seriously?
Unlike other dynasties, there was often fierce competition among the princes. Even if one was fortunate enough to be named the crown prince, he might not be able to ascend the throne smoothly.

But the situation in the Ming Dynasty was completely different. The prince's succession to the throne was almost a foregone conclusion. After all, this was the iron rule set by Taizu, and no emperor dared to disobey.

Looking back at the history of the Ming Dynasty, almost every prince successfully inherited the throne.

This is enough to demonstrate the stability of the position of the Crown Prince of Ming Dynasty.

Especially the current prince, his style of doing things and his prestige are almost the same as the emperor. How dare these noble children not come to the banquet?

Time passed quickly and it was night in the blink of an eye.

The night was as dark as ink, silently covering the entire earth, but the East Palace was bustling with activity and bright lights.

The sons of nobles came in response to the invitation. They were dressed in gorgeous clothes, riding tall horses or sitting in beautifully decorated carriages, and arrived at the East Palace one after another.

Looking around, there were more than two hundred people.

In fact, the original number of children of nobles was far more than this, but Zhu Cilang had killed and punished a group of them for various reasons, which is why only these people are left now.

When Zhu Cilang appeared before everyone, everyone in the market straightened their clothes and saluted in unison:

"See His Highness the Crown Prince!"

The sound resounded throughout the banquet hall, and the momentum was quite spectacular.

Zhu Cilang waved his hand casually, and then said in a relaxed tone:

"Today is just an ordinary banquet. There's no need to be so reserved. Just eat and drink well."

After hearing this, everyone gradually relaxed and took their seats.

Afterwards, Zhu Cilang also walked steadily to the main table and sat down on the chair that symbolized noble status. Next to him sat Zhang Shize and several other noblemen of distinguished status.

After all, ordinary nobles are not qualified to sit at the main table with the prince.

After three rounds of wine and five kinds of dishes, the banquet was filled with the aroma of wine and the table was full of delicious food.

Although everyone was toasting each other and seemed to be drinking to great pleasure, they were not actually drunk, because they knew in their hearts that there must be a reason why the prince invited them to a banquet tonight.

So they were all waiting for Zhu Cilang to speak.

Just as everyone was getting more impatient, Zhu Cilang finally put down the wine glass in his hand and slowly stood up.

At the same time, everyone present looked at Zhu Cilang.

The scene suddenly became quiet.

Zhu Cilang remained unmoved. After scanning the crowd, he smiled and said:
"Everyone, I'm sure you've all heard about the upcoming currency reform in the Ming Dynasty."

"I am also aware that you have been hoarding a large amount of old Ming Dynasty banknotes recently, intending to profit from the price difference."

"However, I don't intend to pursue this matter, so you can relax."

"Tomorrow morning, you can take the old version of the Ming Dynasty Treasure Notes to exchange for the new version, and then use the new version of the Ming Dynasty Treasure Notes to exchange for Ming Dynasty gold coins and Ming Dynasty silver coins."

"If you act this way, I will not blame you. On the contrary, I will be very pleased because you are helping the court to promote the new currency."

"I would like to thank you!"

When everyone heard this, they didn't know what to say for a moment.

At this moment, a young nobleman hurriedly stood up and said with a flattering smile on his face:
"Your Highness, your words are too kind. As nobles of the Ming Dynasty, it is our duty to help the court promote its currency."

"Besides that, no matter what your Highness orders us to do, we will do our utmost and will not refuse!"

When the other sons of noble families saw someone express their opinions, they immediately echoed them.

Some said loudly:

"Right, right, right! No matter what His Royal Highness orders us to do, we will go through fire and water without hesitation."

"That's right! I am willing to die for your Highness!"

In an instant, the brothers and young men present began to express their loyalty.

You must know that before these noble children came, their elders in the family repeatedly warned them that no matter what the prince said at the time, they must agree without hesitation and must not offend the prince.

After all, the Ming Dynasty today is no longer what it used to be. This prince is tough and has high prestige, and he must not be offended!
In fact, those old nobles were still thinking too much, because in the Ming Dynasty, no one dared to offend the prince.
No matter what, Zhu Cilang was still very happy when he heard these words.

Then he continued:

"Since you all say so, then I won't be polite with you. I really have something for you to do."

"What I want you to do is very simple. Before this, the court has already informed the people of the upcoming currency reform through the Ming Daily."

"However, I am concerned that the people may not quickly accept the new currency, so I need your help."

"Tomorrow morning, the Ming Bank will officially open for business. I want you to take your servants and queue up to exchange them for Ming treasure notes. At the same time, you should also take out your gold and silver to exchange for Ming gold and silver coins."

"I want the people to see that the nobles and sons of the Ming Dynasty are eager to exchange for the new currency."

"This way, the people will know that this new currency is not the same as the previous ones used to collect money from the people, which will be more conducive to the circulation of the new currency among the people."

When everyone heard this, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

They were originally full of worries, thinking that the prince was going to ask them to do something difficult, but they didn't expect it to be so simple.

Immediately, a straightforward nobleman could not help but speak:

"Don't worry, Your Highness. Even if Your Highness doesn't specifically instruct us, we will do the same tomorrow."

"Me too!"

"And me, tomorrow morning, I will take my family's banknotes and gold and silver to the Royal Bank of Ming to exchange them for the new currency!"

For a moment, the sons of nobles present responded one after another, and the atmosphere was extremely warm.

Seeing this, Zhu Cilang couldn't help but smile. Things seemed to be simpler than he had imagined.

Before long, the dinner came to an end.

Then everyone stood up, said goodbye, and left.

Only a few sharp-minded and intelligent sons of noble families, such as Zhang Shize, stayed.

Zhu Cilang deliberately kept them behind because he had another important matter to instruct them.

(End of this chapter)