Chu Fan said, "There is a high probability that Wei will be able to win the counterattack against the Xiongnu and Gan Kingdom soon. When Wei conquers these two countries, the subsequent governance and reconstruction will require a lot of manpower and financial resources. At that time, the commerce and various industries in these two regions will need businessmen or people with lofty ideals to restore the local economy and people's livelihood.
However, many merchants, small aristocratic families, or those from humble backgrounds who wanted to start a new business wanted to participate in the reconstruction but were short of funds. The imperial court could then lend these funds to them in the form of a fund, charging only 10% interest per year.
This will not only solve their funding problems, but also bring stable interest income to the court, and enable businesses and various industries on the ground to quickly return to normal, so that the people can live a normal life sooner."
Qian Dai said, "Your Majesty, your idea is good, but if these people take the money and don't return it, or if they manage the business poorly and suffer losses, wouldn't the court be taking on huge risks? Or if some people simply take the money and flee to other continents, wouldn't the court lose a huge amount of money in vain?"
How could Chu Fan not have thought of the problem that Qian Dai mentioned?
Chu Fan chuckled and said, "Qian Aiqing is indeed worthy of being the Minister of Finance of Wei State. He is extremely considerate of financial matters. But do you think I haven't considered such a thing?
I didn't mention ordinary people when I mentioned who could get loans. Why do you think I didn't allow the court's "entrepreneurship fund" to be given to ordinary people? It's to avoid such risks.
I am not saying that we discriminate against the ordinary people of Wei, but because ordinary people do not have much resistance to such things. If we rashly open up and allow ordinary people to use the court's money to start a business, there is a high probability that they will fail.
Not only did these ordinary people lack the knowledge to run a business, they also lacked the resources and connections to manage market risks. If their businesses failed, they would not only lack the funds to repay the court's "startup fund," but they might even be burdened with heavy debts, forcing them into a desperate situation.
Even if they want to flee to other continents to live, they don't have that opportunity. It is better to stop them from having such an idea from the beginning, so that they can farm peacefully and be ordinary people. If they really have some money, then sending their children to school is the right way.
I also know that after such a policy is implemented, many people will be dissatisfied, believing that the court favors wealthy merchants and powerful families. However, the court should consider the long-term interests of the entire country, and those who may be dissatisfied with such a policy are mostly those who seek to take advantage of the situation.
If the court really gave these people the "startup fund," they would most likely just use it for their own enjoyment and not actually start a business. If the court asked them to pay it back, they might even say it was a free gift from the court, so why should they pay it back?
If the court does not force them to repay the loan, they may still brag about how they "cheated" money from the court. Therefore, it is better to exclude these people directly and let those who are strong and capable use these "startup funds" to create more value.
In contrast, merchants, aristocratic families, and children from humble backgrounds at least possessed a certain business foundation and experience, allowing them to better utilize these funds. Furthermore, their families generally had a certain amount of assets, so even if their businesses failed, they would be able to repay the loans and avoid causing losses to the court.
Moreover, if the court was more rigorous, it could allow applicants who wanted to obtain the "startup fund" to use their family's property as collateral. When they had money to repay the loan or were still "starting a business", they could use their own property normally. After they had repaid the "startup fund" given to them by the court, the court would return their mortgage documents to them.
If these individuals fail in their ventures, the imperial court can use the documents to repossess the mortgaged property to compensate for the losses. This way, the imperial court won't suffer a significant loss, and these applicants will carefully consider whether their families truly need this "startup fund." They will also plan their ventures more carefully, avoiding reckless risk-taking.
Qian Dai listened to Chu Fan's words. Although he felt a little uncomfortable in his heart and thought that ordinary people were also citizens of Wei and should not be treated differently, this was a major matter involving the fundamental interests of the country, and he could not ruin the overall situation just because of a momentary weakness.
After all, ordinary people's horizons and insights are limited, and they often simply cannot grasp the complexities and risks of business. Although Qian Dai was the Minister of Industry, he also understood the psychology of ordinary people. Many ordinary people, despite not having a natural talent for business, were ambitious and believed that their failure to become wealthy was simply due to insufficient capital. They believed that anything a businessman could do, they could do too.
However, they failed to see that many wealthy families could be ruined within a few years due to poor management. They only saw the glorious side of businessmen, but ignored the dangers hidden behind them that could plunge their entire families into the abyss.
Qian Dai said, "I understand the theory your Majesty is talking about. I will convey your Majesty's words to the person in charge of the foundation. When the time comes, I and the ministers in my court will definitely supervise the operation of the foundation to ensure that there are no mistakes."
Chu Fan said, "Don't just say nice things. This matter involves the vital interests of the court and every citizen of Wei. We cannot afford to be careless. If there is any omission, it could be a huge problem and may even affect the court's credibility and prestige in the hearts of the people of Wei.
Therefore, there must be absolutely no carelessness in this matter, and there must be absolutely no favoritism, corruption, or bribery. After all, if the imperial treasury is damaged due to the corruption of one person, the loss will outweigh the gain.”
Qian Dai also knew that what Chu Fan said was the truth. You must know that the silver in the national treasury is related to the operation of the entire country and the well-being of the people. Even a single ounce of silver cannot be lost due to corruption.
Qian Dairu said solemnly, as if issuing a military order: "I will strictly supervise the foundation and ensure that the problems Your Majesty mentioned will not occur."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
