Emperor Wende loves money very much.
People who are crazy about poverty always attach more importance to money.
Gu Jiu was not sure whether Emperor Wende knew about the existence of this account.
It’s better not to know.
In this way, dividends can be distributed quietly and accounts can be settled.
Of course, Gu Jiu did not intend to embezzle the dividends from the original capital of 300,000 yuan.
She wanted to hand over the dividends directly to the Shaofu without alerting Emperor Wende.
If you want to do this, you must obtain the cooperation of the Shaofu Household Order.
The Shaofu Household Manager stroked his beard with a calm expression.
Inside the signing room, no one spoke. Only the charcoal fire was burning, emitting heat and warmth.
The tea gradually lost its temperature and was no longer suitable for drinking.
However, Gu Jiu still picked up the teacup and took a sip of the remaining tea.
The charcoal fire was almost extinguished when the Shaofu Household Manager finally spoke up, "This is difficult to handle."
"Could it be that His Majesty has already set his eyes on this sum of money?" Gu Jiu asked curiously.
The Imperial Household Officer shook his head. "It's not as serious as you say. I remember that Your Majesty knew about the late emperor's investment. Just because Your Majesty didn't ask about it today doesn't mean you won't ask about it someday. Even if Your Majesty has forgotten about it, those around Him will remind you. After all, it's a considerable sum."
After a pause, the Minister of the Imperial Household continued, "Your Majesty has expanded the harem, and the expenses are very high."
It costs money to keep a woman.
It costs even more for the emperor to keep women.
Gu Jiu smiled and said, "The Shaofu Bank is making a fortune every day. The Shaofu is not short of money now, so the expenses of the harem are just a small problem for the Shaofu."
The Shaofu's household officer blew his beard and glared, "Do you really think that everyone in the Shaofu is just living off the land and doesn't need a salary? The Shaofu manages so many properties, and there are tens of thousands of people receiving monthly salaries. It takes a lot of money to support so many people. As the end of the year approaches, those members of the royal family who can't make ends meet all run to the Shaofu to beg for money. The Shaofu can't let anyone go back empty-handed."
The Shaofu Household Manager also followed Gu Jiu's example and started crying poor.
Gu Jiu's eyebrows twitched. This was the rhythm of teaching the apprentice and starving the master to death.
"Don't cry about being poor, old ancestor. I am even poorer than you. I can't even afford to eat during the New Year this year."
The Shaofu family official looked upset and asked, "Can anyone believe what you said?"
Gu Jiu asked in return: "The old ancestor keeps saying that the Shaofu has no money. Does anyone believe this?"
The Shaofu household steward looked conflicted.
The two people said in unison: "We are all poor!"
Finally reached a consensus.
Gu Jiu then sighed, "I will first give the late emperor's 300,000 yuan dividend and the palace's 50,000 yuan dividend to the old ancestor. If Your Majesty asks, please help me. As for Your Majesty's 50,000 yuan dividend, please let the old ancestor pass it on to Your Majesty. I will not enter the palace."
Since he couldn't hide it, Gu Jiu didn't do anything extra and just followed the procedures.
The Shaofu Household Manager said, "I can accept the dividends from the late emperor and the royal palace. But I dare not interfere with your Majesty's 50,000 yuan dividend. You should go to Chang En for this matter. Didn't that old man also invest money? Ask him to help you clean it up."
"Eunuch Chang has been on duty these past few days and won't be able to leave the palace to rest for five days. Never mind, never mind, I'll just wait for him for five days."
Gu Jiu looked aggrieved, and even the Shaofu Household Manager refused to help.
The Shaofu Household Secretary said cheerfully, "No need to wait five days. I guess the palace has already received the news. It won't be long before that old man Chang En will take the initiative to find you."
Gu Jiu raised his eyebrows, feeling a little uneasy inexplicably. "To be honest with you, I'm most afraid of talking about money with Your Majesty. Talking about money hurts our feelings."
The Shaofu family official trembled his beard and said, "Don't be afraid, you have money anyway."
Gu Jiu sighed, "I really don't have any money. All the money was invested in the workshop and the cement road. I only have a few tens of thousands of li left for food."
"You eat better than me. I don't even have tens of thousands of taels to spend on food."
Gu Jiu held his forehead with his hand, "Grandfather really won't help me?"
"I can't help you. What's coming will eventually come. Don't be nervous. His Majesty won't eat people."
Gu Jiu had a hurt expression on his face.
The Shaofu household official laughed cheerfully.
…
Xingqing Palace.
Chang En is serving Emperor Wende.
Emperor Wende had been busy for two hours and was ready to rest for a while when he asked, "What day is it today?"
"Your Majesty, today is the 20th day of the twelfth lunar month, the day when Sihai Trading Company distributes dividends."
"Dividends?"
"Exactly. The Nanchengmenwai project has been operating for so many years, and we're finally seeing some money."
Emperor Wende immediately said, "If I remember correctly, I also invested tens of thousands of taels. You, old slave, should also invest money."
Chang En laughed and said, "I dare not deceive Your Majesty. I have invested five thousand taels, including the coffin."
This was not entirely untrue, and Emperor Wende did not expose him.
"Since it's the day for dividend distribution, why don't I see any silver? Could it be that Gu Jiu embezzled my silver?"
"Madam Zhao would not dare to embezzle anyone's money, let alone your Majesty's. I'm afraid it's inconvenient for you to go to the palace, so you were unable to deliver the money to the palace in time."
Emperor Wende thought for a moment and said, "Go find her. No, ask Gu Jiu to come to the palace. I have something to ask her in person. Also, invite the Minister of the Household to the palace first and ask him to bring the account book."
"I obey your command!"
The Shaofu Household Manager was called into the palace first, bringing the account book with him.
Emperor Wende first politely called him "Uncle", but the Minister of the Household dared not respond and said directly: "The ruler is the ruler, and the minister is the minister."
Emperor Wende did not force him and directly asked about the revenue of the Shaofu this year.
The Shaofu household manager flipped through the account book and reported the expenses one by one.
From salt and iron, to Shaofu Money House, to Huangzhuang, to minerals, to various industries.
After the general ledger was reported, Emperor Wende had an idea of the income for the whole year.
"I never thought the annual revenue from the Shaofu Bank would actually exceed the salt and iron tax revenue. No wonder private banks are so popular, it's because this business is extremely profitable, money makes money, and it's easy and quick to make money."
Emperor Wende pondered for a moment, "Now it seems that money houses have great potential. We must quickly expand the Shaofu Money House to every prefecture and county in the Great Zhou. We must crack down on private money houses with drastic measures to balance private lending rates. We cannot allow our people to be forced into bankruptcy and sell themselves into slavery by private money houses."
The imperial court collected taxes from the common people and farmers, and the government corvée labor was also borne by these people. Conscription was also levied from these people.
These people are all good citizens.
Once good people were forced into bankruptcy by usury and sold themselves into slavery, every additional slave meant less tax revenue for the imperial court, less recruits for the army, and less labor service.
The wealthy families who bought slaves exploited serfs, mining slaves, textile slaves, and all kinds of slaves.
All the wealth created by these slaves fell into the hands of the rich, and the court did not get a penny.
The imperial court suffered heavy losses, but the wealthy, through slavery, created more wealth and became increasingly wealthy. They used their increased wealth to lend money at high interest rates and to buy up the land and houses of bankrupt citizens.
Turn the land of self-cultivating farmers into farms.
The deeds to the houses of good citizens were turned into shops, forming a de facto monopoly on land and real estate.
In the final analysis, private usury was undermining the imperial court and creating more and more poor peasants, bankrupt people, refugees, and rioters.
To solve the problems of poor farmers, bankrupt people, refugees and rioters, the court had to invest money and manpower.
This creates a vicious cycle.
The court collected less and less tax revenue, but had more and more places to spend money.
The rich are always rich, and the court is always poor.
If this continues, there will be big trouble sooner or later.
Fortunately, the court's commercial tax revenue has improved in the past two years, so it no longer needs to rely on agricultural taxes all year round.
The reliance on agricultural taxes was reduced, which meant that when the court was short of money, it did not have to repeatedly increase taxes on farmers.
As long as the imperial court does not increase taxes, the burden on farmers will not increase.
It can be said that commercial taxes have, to a certain extent, slowed down the rate of farmers' bankruptcy.
This is also the fundamental reason why, despite the frequent natural disasters in various places in recent years, no major chaos has occurred.
The increase in commercial taxes resolved major social conflicts and allowed farmers to take a breath during years of famine.
Many court officials had limited vision and did not realize this.
But the top talents in the court, such as Li Shizhong, realized this several years ago.
Emperor Wende also clearly recognized the important role of commercial taxes in balancing social contradictions.
Not to mention the Shaofu Household Order, he was personally involved in it and had a deeper understanding.
He couldn't help but wonder when the increase in commercial taxes began.
It seems that it started from the cooperation between Shaofu and Gu Jiu.
Since the Shaofu opened a money shop, its income has increased year by year, and it can easily support the Ministry of Revenue and reduce the pressure on the Ministry of Revenue.
What is even more commendable is that usury is no longer seen in the entire Gyeonggi region.
All private money houses lend money at the interest rate of Shaofu Money House, which is 1.5% per month, and are not allowed to compound interest or calculate interest.
The income of private banks is naturally much less than when they were loan sharks, but they can still make money. And they don't have to bear the responsibility of forcing families to ruin.
The monthly interest rate is 1.5%. If you grit your teeth, work harder, or borrow some from friends and family, you can always pay it back.
In the Gyeonggi region, the atmosphere in the lending industry has become very fresh.
Compared to the rampant usury in the south, private money houses in the Gyeonggi region are like a fresh and clean place.
But even so, many southern money houses still went to the capital to open branches.
Why?
Since Madam Zhao started building outside the South City Gate, the business in the capital has become more and more active.
All walks of life, including food, clothing, housing and transportation, have been driven to prosperity by a project outside the South City Gate.
People like those who make bricks, tiles, and wood... now earn as much in a year as they did in the past few years.
When businesses are active, the lending market will also become active.
Even though the maximum monthly interest rate could not exceed 1.5%, it still attracted a large number of private banks from the south and the north, and from all over the country to flock to the capital to seize the market.
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