Ming Dynasty: I risked my life to teach the prince, the emperor begged me not to die

Chapter 557 Capital Hunting
When Chen Ce left the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Houzhao personally sent him to the gate of the Forbidden City.

"I'm fine, you can go back." Chen Ce said to Zhu Houzhao, "Learn how to govern the country from your father, be filial to him, and spend more time with him."

"Ah."

Zhu Houzhao thought that Chen Ce was speaking from his heart. After all, he was terminally ill and must have attached great importance to feelings.

"Prince."

Zhu Houzhao was about to turn around and go back, but was stopped by Chen Ce. He turned back to look at Chen Ce curiously and asked, "What's wrong, little brother?"

Chen Ce smiled and said, "Walk slowly."

"Hey! I'm very strong!"

He waved his hand and said to Chen Ce, "Little brother, you should walk slower too."

"Ah."

I'm afraid I can't accompany you on this road anymore.

After Zhu Houzhao entered the palace, Chen Ce stood desolately outside the Forbidden City, bent over and began to cough violently in pain, with blood constantly gushing out of his mouth.

The servants of the Chen Mansion had been waiting for Chen Ce outside the Forbidden City. They hurried over to support Chen Ce and sent him back to the mansion as quickly as possible.

On the bed, Madam Wu cried countless times until Chen Ce woke up again. She wiped her tears and said, "My husband, you are awake. I will bring you the medicine soup."

Chen Ce smiled and said, "Well, okay, are you scared?"

Madam Wu shook her head, but soon nodded.

Chen Ce finished drinking the medicine soup, and then said to Wu Niangzi: "Go and help me call Yang Yuzhen."

"Ok!"

Not long after, Yang Yuzhen hurried over to Chen Ce's place. Seeing Chen Ce lying on the bed with a pale face and thin body, he hurriedly said, "Godfather! Godfather!"

Chen Ce said: "I'm not dead yet, don't cry at my grave."

"There's something you need to do for me."

"Arrange for the big merchants in Shuntian Prefecture to go to Annan to discuss trade cooperation. Don't settle the accounts right away. It's best to owe the Annan merchants debts and pay them later."

Yang Yuzhen was a little confused, but Chen Ce didn't explain much to him.

After he left, Chen Ce said to Madam Wu, "Write me a few more letters and give them to Xu Jing and Tang Yin respectively."

Madam Wu hurriedly brought writing brush, ink, paper and inkstone, and Chen Ce dictated what he said while she wrote it down.

……

In March of the spring of the 17th year of the Hongzhi reign, a large number of merchants flocked to Annan and negotiated large-scale trade such as purchasing timber, spices, and grain with many big merchants in Annan.

However, they did not pay the money immediately, but chose to settle the debt with interest.

The two parties have signed a contract. During this process, the Ming Dynasty merchants have to continuously pay interest to the other party and finally return the principal. In fact, to a certain extent, the Annan merchants did not suffer any losses and even made a profit.

The merchants of the Ming Dynasty naturally suffered losses, but they dared not do otherwise. After all, these things were given to them by the government. If they did not do it, they might not be able to continue their business in the Ming Dynasty. The merchants, the scholars, the farmers, the merchants, and the artisans, could only be enslaved when facing the scholar-officials.

When all the arrangements were completed, Chen Ce asked Madam Wu to call Qin Hong over.

During this period, Chen Ce had difficulty getting out of bed. Qin Hong paced to Chen's house and saw Chen Ce half leaning on the bed. He felt a little uncomfortable.

Although he had prepared himself mentally, he still felt uncomfortable seeing Chen Ce, who was so young, become like this.

"Chun Jian, is there something wrong?"

Chen Ce coughed twice and said to Qin Hong, "In the past month, I have had many trade talks between merchants from Ming Dynasty and Annan, and all the cooperation was achieved by paying interest on outstanding debts."

“The principal needs to be paid after one year.”

Qin Hong asked doubtfully, "Won't this move... cause the merchants of the Ming Dynasty to suffer a great loss?"

Chen Ce smiled and said, "Well, the merchants of the Ming Dynasty have suffered losses, and seeing that the interest is so profitable, I think their country will definitely learn from our Ming Dynasty and open money houses in an attempt to lend money to the people, charge full interest, and earn the difference."

"Wait a minute. Once they open a bank, you will find someone to borrow money like crazy!"

"what?"

Qin Hong asked suspiciously: "Why is this?"

Even if we borrow money to the end, we still have to repay the principal to the other party. In this process, the other party will earn enough interest. Isn't this a big loss?

Qin Hong couldn't quite understand Chen Ce's intention.

Chen Ce smiled and said, "There is trade between Annan and Ming Dynasty. There is an exchange rate between their country's money and our Ming Dynasty."

"As long as we take the initiative to lower the value of Ming Dynasty's money, their country's currency will also appreciate."

"For example, I lend you 10,000 coins now. One year later, your country's currency appreciates and the original 10,000 coins become 15,000 coins, but we still need to repay 10,000 coins."

"It doesn't matter if it's a little less, they can bear it, but once the scale is large, as long as the value of our Ming currency drops a little, they won't be able to bear it!"

"They dare not lower the value of their currency. The economic system of the Ming Dynasty can lower its value a little bit, because our population base and fiscal amount are here, and a slight decrease will not cause too much fluctuation in the country."

“But if they lower the value of the currency, the people will be in turmoil, and there is a high possibility that the regime in this country will be overthrown!”

"Can you understand what I say?"

Qin Hong pondered for a long time, his face gradually changed, and after a moment he couldn't help but gasp for air!

Now we just need to lend them enough money. When we repay them, the value of their currency will increase, but we still have to repay the same amount. This is equivalent to reaping all of their finances!
At that time, both the merchants and the national economy of their country would collapse because of the Ming Dynasty’s operations!
At the beginning, Chen Ce strongly suggested that the Ming Dynasty issue a new currency and use the new currency for trade settlement with all neighboring countries.

At that time, no one understood what it meant, but now Qin Hong suddenly realized it!
Establish a settlement system centered on Ming currency. As long as there is a slight fluctuation in Ming currency, the whole world can be harvested!
Hiss! This is too cruel!

This is even more brutal than directly declaring a war. Once the other party's financial system collapses, the country will be finished!

Isn't this more terrifying than a war?!

At that time, as long as the Ming Dynasty asked the other party to return the land they occupied, wouldn't they return it obediently? Not to mention returning the land, as long as the conditions did not involve the other party's life and death, they would agree!
Because if Annan dares not to agree, their financial system will collapse. Once the financial system collapses, all classes of people including merchants and farmers will become opposed to the Annan court, and even directly overthrow the Annan court!
For a moment, Qin Hong thought a lot. The more he thought about it, the more terrifying he felt that Chen Ce was!
Conquer the enemy without fighting! No wonder Chen Ce was so confident in the warm room, no wonder Chen Ce didn't care at all that the southern territory was temporarily occupied by Annan!
(End of this chapter)