Chapter 343: Holy Decree
The oracle fell like thunder!
The imperial edict left the palace and spread throughout the entire Chang'an City like the wind. The court officials in Chang'an City had already known the news, but the news was most targeted at the Shandong states, which was the main location for private coin minting.
Liu Heng implemented his policies so quickly that before the Shandong kings and powerful people had time to react, Chang'an and even the entire Guanzhong had already reached a consensus on this point and sent the imperial edict to all the kingdoms and counties.
But everyone knows that issuing an imperial decree is only the first step. If the imperial decree cannot be truly implemented, the final outcome will be that the court will end up in disgrace.
So a new inspection department was set up, which was under the jurisdiction of one of the Nine Ministers, the Grand Minister of Commerce, and was specifically responsible for cracking down on those who minted counterfeit coins and undermined the court's rules and regulations. This was a functional department that had to be established after the decision was made to take back the coinage from the court.
The princes, powerful men and students of the Shandong states all had different reactions to the imperial edict issued by the court.
Some students directly said: "For decades, the world has been thriving, and the copper content in the currency is extremely high. Why should such a good law be abandoned? We do not accept it. There must be treacherous people in the court who are deceiving Your Majesty."
"Your Majesty, do you know what the people of the world want?"
Someone else said passionately: "If Your Majesty knew about this and still insisted on doing it, wouldn't that be the behavior of a dictator?"
Then the debate that day in Changle Palace spread through some channel, and the whole of Shandong fell into silence in an instant.
Students can still retreat because of reason.
However, those groups who can benefit from coin minting are filled with anger. Reform has been difficult since ancient times because the groups that benefit will definitely do everything possible to obstruct it, and these vested interests often have decisive power. These people can never accomplish anything, but can do harm.
Just like the Han Dynasty today, the princes may not be a match for the imperial court in a head-on confrontation, but they do have the ability to incite the people to rebel and even cause Shandong to decay.
Once it comes to that step, those who are in opposition to the court are not the kings, princes and powerful people, but the endless common people, because the kings, princes and powerful people did not break the law, but the common people.
Even if the imperial court knew that there was something fishy going on, what could it do?
We still have to suppress the people who are rising up in rebellion, and even need the help of local kings and powerful people. Once we use their power, can the reform still succeed?
Now the princes and powerful people are very angry. Do you think the imperial court can take away our wealth with just one imperial edict?
It's just a dream!
The princes and marquises of the Liu clan were particularly furious, shouting angrily, "We are all descendants of Emperor Gao, and we have made contributions in defending our territory. If the court wants to take back the coins, it can do so.
But we are not allowed to mint copper privately. The imperial court uses copper, and we also use copper. Your money is money, but my money is not money?
How can such a thing be possible in the world!
That’s what a dictator would do.”
However, although these people cursed harshly, they were very obedient in their bodies and did not dare to directly rise up in arms like the Huainan Kingdom and the Wu Kingdom did in the past.
Because these people are actually a minority in Shandong, their power is not strong enough.
This is a misunderstanding of many people, that is, they think that after the court relaxed the control, everyone could mint coins, so there should be many princes and powerful people who mint coins.
In fact, in the early days, there were indeed all kinds of coins circulating in the market, and all the kings and powerful people wanted to get a piece of the pie, but the people could decide for themselves whether to accept the money. So after decades of competition, those copper coins with high minting costs and poor quality were automatically eliminated by the market.
Only the coins with the best appearance and the highest copper content are left, and the only way for inferior coins is to re-melt them.
Therefore, the only ones who really made profits from minting coins were a very small number of great princes and those powerful tyrants who united with some great marquises behind them.
But even if these people united, they would still be extremely weak facing the imperial court.
Unable to fight against the imperial court, yet unwilling to give up their own interests, the undercurrents within became more and more intense.
Many evil emotions breed in it, like piled up firewood, waiting for an opportunity to burn completely, either burning themselves to ashes directly, or scattering the ashes of the imperial court.
After the imperial edict was issued, the princes and powerful people who had been defeated in the previous coin-making struggle had a completely different feeling from the previous group of people. They were simply ecstatic.
It’s not as easy as making real money rolls for those bastards who have the backing of the copper mountain, so isn’t it easy to make counterfeit money mixed with base metals?
The people living on this land have hundreds of years of experience in counterfeiting currency. Although the tools at that time were rusty, they can still be used after being polished, and the skills from that time are still preserved.
Now we are just waiting for the court to issue new standard coins, and then we can take them back and melt the difference coins.
"Leaf money", "elm money", "crisp money".
These familiar coins will circulate throughout the world again, and our glorious days are back!
Countless people seemed to see countless amounts of money flowing into their pockets like water. Under the temptation of huge profits, the newly established Da Si Shang Patrol Office was ignored by everyone.
The newly promulgated "Han Coin Law" by the court was also forgotten.
Naturally, some people are worried: "The court seems to take this matter very seriously. Will this really not anger the court?"
Then he got a totally unexpected answer: "We have done many things that violated the Han laws, even murdered people, but now we are still standing here, aren't we?
Even the sun in the sky has shadows that it cannot shine on. Even if the emperor in Chang'an wants to be like the sun, Shandong is a corner that it cannot shine on.
Breaking the law?
It is illegal only if you are caught!
When Empress Gao and King Luo Wen were in power, they couldn't do anything to us. What can he, an emperor who has just ascended the throne for a short time, do to us?
We are all relatives of the Han Dynasty, and we are the ones who protect his throne. Don’t you think he is willing to give us this little benefit?
Then he will be deserted by everyone! "
These words were both arrogant and sincere, highlighting his fearlessness and self-righteousness.
The tone of voice conveys the feeling that Shandong is far away and the emperor is far away, this is not Guanzhong, and we have the final say here.
When the imperial envoy comes here, he must be careful of bandits and pirates. It would be bad if he can't go back.
As many people were watching, the imperial court began to release copper coins made by the imperial court into Chang'an.
The size and specifications of coins used in ancient times were very particular. Money that was too valuable or too cheap was not easy to circulate.
Liu Heng still remembered what Luo Xin had told him that year. When the coins were minted, the quality was very high. The new coins were exquisitely made. The most important thing was that there were outlines on the edges of the coins, which could effectively prevent shearing.
In the past, the Qin State had a half-liang coin. For every seven or eight half-liang coins, one could cut the edges and recast one half-liang coin. As a result, the whole world was using these remnant coins, and the people suffered greatly from them. Luo Xin had told Liu Heng about these things many times. Of course, when he was casting coins now, he would not let the people of the world suffer like this.
Moreover, the weight of these coins was very suitable, making them very suitable for circulation. There were the words "Tianhan" on the coins, so they were called "Tianhan coins". The people of Chang'an City felt relieved when faced with this kind of coins, and they all sang the praises of the emperor's kindness.
In Changle Palace, Luo Jing reported to Liu Heng what he had observed, "Your Majesty, Tianhan coins are still very popular among the people, and the edges of Tianhan coins cannot be trimmed.
However, if someone privately mints the missing coins, it would be hard to prevent. No one in Chang'an City would dare to take action. Guanzhong is even more loyal to the royal family, and the big families dare not act rashly. As long as the nobles and relatives are controlled, there will be no problem.
But something will definitely happen in Shandong. You have to live in Chang'an, which is not convenient for you to travel. After a while, when things have fermented, I want to go to Shandong to take a look and take a walk for you."
The Guanzhong in this world line is much more cohesive than the Guanzhong in Ji Zhao's original world line. After the migration of the Luo people and the Chu people, and with the Su Wang Mausoleum located here, the 800-li Qinchuan in the past has almost been washed into 800-li Luochuan Chushui.
The Han court's rule here is quite stable, especially since there are no particularly bad rulers in the Han court yet, and the people here are living a prosperous life.
Hearing that Luo Jing wanted to go to Shandong, Liu Heng said with some concern: "Ah Jing, it's not that I don't want you to go to Shandong, it's just that the situation in Shandong is complicated. Although these princes have been divided and given favors, it is basically difficult for them to compete with the court.
However, if they resort to some sinister means, take risks, and cause you any harm, I will feel guilty for the rest of my life.
My uncle has assisted me for more than ten years. I serve him as a father and treat you as my own brother. If something happens to you, how can I face my uncle after a hundred years?"
Liu Heng was very clear about the political chaos in Shandong. It was a completely different world from Guanzhong. Not only the princes and marquises, but even the county governors and county magistrates directly under the court were also involved in this.
These people were very obedient when Luo Xin was alive, and Luo Xin's policies were also implemented through them. However, after Liu Heng came to power, his prestige was insufficient, so naturally some people began to have ulterior motives.
Under such circumstances, how could he feel at ease letting Luo Jing go to a dangerous place like Shandong?
Liu Heng's worries would be very reasonable in other eras. Ji Zhao didn't pay attention to the human world most of the time. Even if Luo's son was in danger, it would be too late to rescue him.
Moreover, blood and sacrifice are the choices made by the family members themselves, just like those members of the Luo family who died on the battlefield in the past.
Unless they actively ask for help, Ji Zhao never interferes with their choice of their own destiny.
But this era is different. Luo Ling, the god on earth, is sitting in Zhaocheng, and he cares very much about Luo's son's life.
Luo Jing heard Liu Heng's words and chuckled, "Your Majesty, I have no worries as there are brave warriors protecting me."
————
The Emperor of the Han Empire wanted to take back the power of coinage from the royal family, which caused dissatisfaction among the high-ranking nobles in the East, including the king and some high-ranking lords. At the same time, some large merchant groups tried to hinder the implementation of the imperial decree. Under such circumstances, the Emperor of the Empire appointed his most trusted minister, who was also his cousin, a noble court marquis, to go to the East to monitor those high-ranking lords. ——"Imperial Glory: Han Empire"
(End of this chapter)
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