Above the mage!

Chapter 632 Payday

Although Zhenbing's bloodline has awakened many spells, these spells are essentially bloodline inheritance spells and ancient spells.

Over the years, with the accumulation of wisdom from generations of mages, new spells have been created in endless succession.

The number of spells has already expanded to an extremely exaggerated extent.

Therefore, the Three Rings Spell Treasury of the Western Kingdom must contain many spells that the Zhenbing bloodline cannot awaken.

Especially combat spells.

Aside from general-purpose spells, the combat spells awakened by Iceborn mages are almost all related to the element of ice.

For example, the most classic spell, even considered the representative spell of the third ring, [Fireball], is not among the spells awakened by Zhenbing.

After all, it would be absurd for an Iceborn mage to awaken the [Fireball] spell.

So Gao De compared the spell recipes in the West Dian Kingdom's spell library and immediately picked out nearly ten more third-circle spell recipes that he had not yet awakened.

He then exited the Ethernet network and cast [All-Powerful Elixir+], creating a bottle of Super Memory Potion.

Then log back into the Ethernet and memorize all these spell recipes.

Gao De regulated the surging magical power within his body, and after his breathing stabilized, he put on his cloak, left the room, and strode towards the city hall.

While he was engrossed in his spiritual practice, the currency reform in the North was also in full swing.

This matter was so important that even though Gao De focused most of his attention on cultivation, he still followed the entire process of the currency reform to the end.

Pushing open the door to Sunefa's office, a strong scent of ink wafted out, a stark contrast to the crisp air outside.

Sunafa was looking down at a thick stack of parchment documents.

In the Golden Flower Dynasty, Gao De was already considered a top-tier genius mage.

But in Gao De's mind, he was actually far inferior to Sunefa.

Putting everything else aside, every time he came to the city hall to see Sunefa, he was never disappointed, as if she devoted all her time to these government affairs.

Even so, her progress in cultivating the "Green Wood Longevity Scripture" was not slow at all.

"My King, congratulations." Sunafa merely glanced at him, a barely perceptible glint flashing in her deep, icy eyes, before speaking softly.

Gao De shrugged helplessly.

According to the common understanding in the mage community, unless one actively reveals fluctuations in magical power or releases a signature spell, even a high-level mage will find it difficult to accurately perceive the mage level of another mage.

But Sunefa has this ability, just as if she also has the Mandora Eye.

As for how exactly they did it, Gaode Maps has no idea.

However, he did not come to Sunefa to "show off" his successful ring upgrade, so he immediately skipped that and got to the point.

"How are preparations for the implementation of the currency?"

Upon hearing this, Sunefa immediately switched gears, tucking a stray strand of silver-gray hair behind her ear. Her expression instantly became slightly serious, and her tone was calm and clear:
"Everything is ready, and the first monetary injection will begin in two days."

"The rosters of all staff members in our city hall departments and farm staff have been verified."

“The salaries of city hall staff are divided according to their job rank. Even the lowest-ranking staff’s monthly salary can buy enough food for a family of five for a month and still have some left over.”

This is sufficient to ensure that this pioneering group has enough purchasing power to not only meet their basic needs but also have some surplus to provide initial impetus for currency circulation.

"The situation on the farm is special because of the high mobility and the relatively unstable jobs. The staff's wages are initially paid on a combination of daily and weekly settlements."

Basic food rations are distributed daily, and a fixed allowance is given on weekends in addition. This ensures survival and forces money to flow into the grassroots population.

"At the market acceptance level, we do not require all transactions to be settled in currency, but rather adopt a strategy of guidance and incentives."

“We stipulate that all transactions must be taxed, but in the first year, all transactions settled in currency will be exempt from taxation.”

"This approach, which encourages people to actively seek out transactions using currency, is more feasible than simply enforcing laws."

"The first batch of new currency has been inspected, and its purity and weight both meet the standards."

Our official direct-sale store system has also been established, with three department stores and six grain stations in the city, mainly selling essential goods.

"The reserves are sufficient to support a year's worth of exchange needs, especially food. We replenish our stocks every two weeks from the Ministry of Agriculture to ensure there will be no shortages." Sunafa explained all the preparations in one go.

“Very good.” Gao De walked to the desk.

A sheet of parchment is spread out on the table.

Above is the monetary circulation logic chain marked by Elsa and Sunafa, with detailed annotations for each step and key point.

If the currency reform is successfully implemented, the North will completely break free from the primitive barter system and embark on a fast track of development.

If an accident were to occur, it could at least cause market turmoil, or at worst shake public morale. Therefore, all three of them took this matter with unprecedented seriousness.

Gao De's gaze swept across the parchment.

It is clearly stated above that the most important aspect of currency issuance is the credit anchoring of the new currency.

In the frigid north, food and fuel are hard currency, with physical reserves backing the currency.

This is equivalent to using official strategic reserves to underwrite the currency's credit.

This is the core logic of the monetary system: the value of money lies not in the metal itself, but in its circulation and credit.

Tax breaks stimulate spontaneous market transactions, direct-sale stores maintain public trust, and salary reforms create stable users.

Only when these three elements form a closed loop can the monetary system truly take root in the North.

"In addition, Director Elsa has added material collection points in the directly operated stores, allowing people to exchange old gold, silver, furs, ores, etc. for currency," Sunafa added.

Upon hearing this, Gao De's eyes lit up, and he quickly grasped the essence and key points.

This exchange mechanism gathers the precious metals and other materials scattered throughout the North, enriching the national treasury, creating a resource cycle, and further consolidating the dominant position of the new currency.

This was something Gaode Maps hadn't anticipated.

After all, he wasn't a finance professional; he could only offer general advice based on his past experience and knowledge.

However, when it comes to practical details such as specific exchange procedures and resource reuse, they are ultimately not as thorough as Elsa, who has long been involved in civil affairs and is familiar with the resource situation in the North.

Then, using the parchment, Sunafa explained in detail to Gaode about the details of merchant supervision and emergency reserves.

This includes an inspection team jointly formed by the Public Security Bureau and the Finance Bureau, responsible for verifying whether there are any violations such as refusing to accept currency or price gouging.

Gaode listened attentively and offered supplementary suggestions from time to time based on his own perspective.

Sunay's method involves taking out a new blank parchment and writing down all these supplementary suggestions.

Eric is sixteen years old and a native of Phoenix.

My father was an Iceborn mage, but unfortunately his bloodline power was weak, and he only remained a first-level mage.

My mother was just an ordinary member of the Zhenbing tribe.

Unfortunately, the power of the Iceborn bloodline flowing through his veins was too weak for him to become an Iceborn mage.

Eric was devastated by this. Until Phoenix welcomed a new king.

The new king not only brought improved wheat varieties that could withstand the harsh winter, solving the long-standing food problem in the North, but also opened schools and implemented an unprecedented compulsory education.

The father greatly admired the new king and obeyed his leadership without hesitation, sending him to school.

He became one of the first students in Phoenix's compulsory education system.

Perhaps it was influenced by his father's reverence for the new king, or perhaps it was his deep-seated desire to escape mediocrity.

After entering school, Eric studied exceptionally hard and diligently. He not only quickly mastered the reading and writing of the common language, but also became proficient in arithmetic problems, consistently ranking among the top students.

This effort was not in vain.

Six months ago, the city hall held a public selection for grassroots staff. With his excellent grades and literacy skills, he successfully passed the selection and entered the city hall, becoming a grassroots clerk in the office.

My daily work involves copying documents, recording data, and organizing files.

Although it is not particularly eye-catching, it is stable and respectable.

As a municipal staff member, he received 100 jin of Northwest Barley No. 1 and 5 jin of Northwest Barley No. 2 every month, in addition to an irregular ration of meat, clothing, fuel, and other necessities.

They were already living a better life than most people in the North.

Compared to the days before Gaode Maps appeared, when people were struggling to get enough to eat and wear, it was like living in paradise.

But two weeks ago, when Director Elsa announced that all salaries would no longer be paid in kind, but in currency, including gold, silver frost coins, and copper tassel coins, the entire city hall was in an uproar.

Because the groundwork laid in the early stages was thorough enough, people had few doubts about the purchasing power and credibility of the currency.

More than anything, there's a sense of trepidation about new things.

Eric was just as anxious.

He had heard that people outside the North used coins for transactions.

But those are precious things for outsiders. Over the years, in the North, everything has been bartered.

It's understandable that people are uneasy about the sudden introduction of a new currency.

This sense of unease reached its peak on payday.

After the clock tower in the city square chimed five times, it signaled the end of the workday.

As soon as he finished work, Eric followed several of his office colleagues out of the city hall and hurried to the brand-new stone building across from the city square.

This building was completed just two weeks ago and has been named "Northern Bank".

The stone wall is inscribed with the six characters "Fairness, Integrity, and Circulation," exuding a solemn and dignified atmosphere, quite different from other buildings commonly seen in Phoenix.

Stepping into the bank, a warm atmosphere greets you.

A burning peat brazier hung on the wall, dispelling the chill of the northern evening.

In the center of the hall were three long wooden tables, behind which sat staff members in uniforms, their cuffs embroidered with small finance bureau logos, giving them a smart and formal appearance.

The Treasury Bureau was a new department that appeared almost simultaneously with the Currency Bureau, and its director was Aisha, who was also the head of their office.

There were queues in front of each table. Eric followed the flow of people and stood at the end of the queue on the far right, looking around curiously.

The team moved forward very quickly.

Soon it was his turn.

Eric took a deep breath and handed over the "pay slip" in his hand.

It was a piece of parchment printed with his name, rank, and salary.

The sign above, written in standard English, reads: "Eric, Junior Office Clerk, Monthly Salary: 4 Purple Gold 2 Silver Frost Coins."

The signature bears the dual seals of the office and the Northern Bank.

“Eric, right?” The staff member looked up at him, speaking gently, and quickly ran his finger across the roster until he found his name.

"This month's salary is 4 Purple Jade Gold and 2 Silver Frost Coins. After verifying that everything is correct, please put your fingerprint here."

Eric nodded, his heart pounding, his eyes fixed on the box in front of the staff member.

The box contained three types of coins neatly arranged:

At the bottom are copper-yellow coins, in the middle are silver coins with a soft silver sheen, and on the top layer lie several warm-colored gold coins.

The light was dazzling yet not glaring, like solidified sunlight, instantly attracting all his attention.

The staff first took out four purple gold coins from the top layer, and then took out two silver frost coins from the middle layer, and carefully placed them on the table.

Eric held his breath and grabbed the six coins.

The obverse of the Ziqiong Gold features an exquisite profile portrait of the new King Gaode, while the reverse side displays a blooming Ziqiong flower pattern, showcasing the ultimate craftsmanship.

The petals are layered upon each other, with naturally smooth curves at the edges, and the granular texture of the stamens is clearly tangible, as if a fresh purple magnolia flower has been frozen in time on a gold coin.

What's most special is the edge of the gold coin; instead of the usual serrated pattern, it's covered with fine, natural ice crack patterns.

“This is currency…” Eric murmured, his voice trembling slightly.

He had never seen anything so exquisite; everything in the North had been rough and simple before.

"Just leave your fingerprint and you can take it home." The staff member's voice brought him back to reality.

Eric quickly pressed his fingerprint on the register, then carefully put four purple gold coins and two silver frost coins into the hidden pocket sewn inside his waist.

That's where you're closest to your body, and that's where you're safest.

As Eric walked out of the Northern Bank, he subconsciously touched the hidden pocket at his waist.

The coins have a weighty, tangible feel.

Instead of going home immediately, he turned and headed towards the newly established official department store to the west.

He wanted to verify whether these purple gold and silver coins could actually be exchanged for food, clothing, and fuel.
The department store was also a newly built stone building, with a sign above the door that read "Northern Border Direct-Operated Department Store".

Upon entering the store, one can see a large space bustling with people.

Most of them were city hall staff members like him, who were also receiving the new currency, and some were temporary farmers on farms.

Everyone wore the same mixture of curiosity and trepidation.

Eric followed the crowd to the food counter.

Behind the counter were piles of wheat sacks, emitting a faint aroma of wheat.

"I want to buy fifteen catties of Northwest Barley No. 1." Eric took a deep breath, took out a silver coin, and handed it over.

He calculated it very clearly: 10 copper coins could buy 1.5 jin of Northwest Barley No. 1, and 1 silver frost coin was equivalent to 100 copper coins, which was exactly enough to buy 15 jin of Northwest Barley No. 1.

(End of this chapter)