Chapter 127 Daming is out of money
The next moment, Zhu Chong went straight to the Prince's Eastern Palace. He had already made up his mind to ask Zhu Biao for the money today.
Zhu Biao owned 10% of the shares of the coal mine. Judging from how generous Zhu Biao had been to him before, Zhu Chong concluded that the prince must have sufficient funds.
When Zhu Chong arrived at the East Palace, the prince was also reading memorials. When he saw Zhu Chong coming in, he immediately treated him to delicious food and drinks.
"I heard that you entered the palace. Why are you looking for my father?" Zhu Biao was obviously well-informed and got the news of Zhu Chong's entry into the palace so quickly.
"Don't mention him. I get so angry when I mention him!" Zhu Chong picked up a piece of cake and took a big bite. He looked so ferocious, as if he was biting Zhu Yuanzhang.
"What's going on?" Zhu Biao was in a good mood today and found Zhu Chong's expression amusing. "What's wrong with you and the Emperor again?"
"What else can I say? Big brother, our father is so generous to you, why is he so stingy with me?"
Zhu Chong complained and told Zhu Biao everything that had happened in the past two days.
Zhu Chong believed that Zhu Biao must have known the news, but certainly not in as much detail as he told him. After all, they were family, and there was no need to hide some things from him. What's more, Zhu Chong was counting on this God of Wealth to give him money!
"You..." When Zhu Biao heard the implicit meaning of Zhu Chong's words, he knew that this guy was targeting him again.
"You are such a spendthrift, you promised to pay me back 10 million strings of cash in a month. Where's the money?" Zhu Biao was afraid that Zhu Chong would ask him for money, so he just shut him up with words.
"I'm just thinking of a solution!" Zhu Chong was not polite at all and acted as if it was a matter of course.
"The money is in the mine, but the problem is that the coal can't be transported out and turned into money. I asked our father to transport the coal and sell it, but he refused to do it. It really pissed me off. Big brother, I can only count on you. Our money is all in it!"
"You..." Zhu Biao was completely frustrated by Zhu Chong's tricks, "You really are my good brother!"
"No, tell me, I didn't ask him for much. It's only thirty miles and it would cost five thousand strings of cash at most. But my father is so stingy. Big brother, you won't be the same as my father?" Zhu Chong had an expression of incomprehension.
"This is all because of you!" Zhu Biao glared at Zhu Chong unhappily, leaving Zhu Chong confused.
Seeing that Zhu Chong was unable to react, Zhu Biao could only patiently explain to him, "The imperial treasury is running low. Father, out of sympathy for the people, has not increased taxes since the founding of the country. However, the continuous wars, natural disasters and man-made disasters have left Father and I exhausted."
"Otherwise, how could it be possible that the Emperor would think of using banknotes to fill the treasury, but was frightened by your words and dared not issue banknotes indiscriminately? Tell me, how could the Emperor still have money?"
"Brother, you're wronging me by saying that." Zhu Chong cried out in injustice, "I was just judging the facts at the time. How can you put all the blame on me? I was thinking about the country and the people!"
"I know you're smart, and I don't mean to blame you." Zhu Biao shook his head and smiled, "Second brother, you're able to do so much for the court. I'm very pleased, and so is the Emperor. Otherwise, we wouldn't have handed the Treasury Department over to you alone."
"It's just that the imperial court is really stretched to the limit right now, otherwise it wouldn't be so difficult to come up with even 5,000 strings of cash."
"No way!" Zhu Chong was dumbfounded. "The Ministry of Revenue really can't even come up with this little money now? What's the Minister of Revenue doing?"
"What does this have to do with the Minister of Revenue?" Zhu Biao glared at Zhu Chong angrily. "Do you think everyone is like you, buying a few pieces of land and then digging out coal mines?"
"Recently, the palace has tightened its belt again. To help relieve Father's worries, Mother has nearly emptied the palace treasury. Your brother, my Eastern Palace's treasury is also running low!"
Hearing what Zhu Biao said, Zhu Chong suddenly felt under great pressure. It turned out that the imperial court was so poor now. No wonder Zhu Biao had just kicked him out.
It would be strange if Lao Zhu was happy if I went to ask him for money at this time.
Nowadays, the only thing that can make Lao Zhu happy is probably giving him money, and the more the better. Otherwise, any request for money from him is out of the question.
However, Zhu Chong was very dissatisfied with the current situation of the court, especially Zhu's attitude towards money. This made Zhu Chong feel that the current problems of the Ming Dynasty had reached the point where reforms were necessary.
"Brother, we can't look at it that way." Zhu Chong approached Zhu Biao and said, "You said that the whole world belongs to our Zhu family. We have so much money in our hands, but is it really meaningful? I've always been curious about how you and our father view the issue of spending money!"
"Huh? What do you mean?" Zhu Biao was a little confused by Zhu Chong's question.
"Let me tell you this." Zhu Chong took out a ten-string note from his pocket and said, "Look, this is ten strings of cash."
"These ten strings of cash are worth ten strings of cash to the people of the world, but to our Zhu family, they are nothing."
"You're not right. How come it's not money in our Zhu family?" The prince frowned and retorted, "This is clearly ten strings of cash!"
"No, big brother, you haven't understood what I mean!" Zhu Chong pouted. How come his big brother has no vision at all? He is the prince, but why does he still focus like an ordinary person?
"Brother, this money is money to me and to everyone in the world. It's money that can buy things, but what use is it to you and our father?"
"My father and I can also use it to buy things!" Zhu Biao was even more confused and had no idea what Zhu Chong was trying to say.
"My brother, this treasure note is nothing but a piece of waste paper to you. It is only worth ten strings of cash if you call it ten strings of cash, because you are the rulers of the Ming Dynasty. If you call it money, then it is money. I and everyone else in the world must obey!"
After hearing what Zhu Chong said, Zhu Biao seemed to understand and stopped refuting Zhu Chong.
Seeing that Zhu Biao seemed to understand, Zhu Chong quickly continued, "That's why I just told you that this treasure note is one thing for the court and another for the people."
"For the imperial court, treasure notes are simply a tool, like a farmer's hoe or a merchant's goods."
"What use would the imperial court have with the ten strings of cash I have? But if ordinary people had ten strings of cash, it would definitely be a huge fortune, enough to provide a family of three with food and clothing for a year."
"So if the imperial court wants to be prosperous, it's not about how much money the Ministry of Revenue has, but whether the people of the world can eat enough every year and serve the imperial court every year. We must let money circulate and form a good circulation atmosphere. Only then can the Ming Dynasty truly become prosperous and strong!"
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