Da Tang: Father, can I resign?

Chapter 190 The Art of Spending Money

Chapter 190 The Art of Spending Money
Facts have proved that the performance of the Datang machine is still very outstanding.

Thanks to the Xuanwu Gate complex in my father's subconscious, the ministers each took sides and attacked each other for no reason.

This made Li Ming worried at first, as to whether they would hinder each other.

He was ready to improvise a line: "Stir it up as you please, stir it up so much that the Tang Dynasty will be destroyed."

As a result, bureaucrats at all levels and in all regions put aside their past grudges and worked together.

Li Ming's intention was quickly implemented.

Although compared with Liaodong, Chang'an still has a strong feudal atmosphere in terms of system.

But this group of civil officials overcame the hardware gap with their outstanding personal abilities.

In terms of actual execution efficiency, it is not bad at all.

In the early days of the dynasty, the overall social atmosphere was still positive.

In addition, there is a wise ruler who has real ability to rule the country.

On ordinary days in the court, everyone seems to be arguing to the death, but in fact it is more like a little fun in life.

Once the trouble really happens, they can just say “Mr. Fang, I was just kidding” and then they can happily build the feudalism with Tang Dynasty characteristics together.

Unlike Li Zhi and Wu Zetian, the pair of frightened boys and depressed girls.

They were obviously the same ministers, but during the reign of Li Zhi, the political struggle became really fierce, with every blow being a devastating blow.

"These are the candidates for promotion who have performed well in the past ten days. Your Highness, please have a look."

The Minister of Personnel, Hou Junji, presented the first list since His Excellency the Prime Minister took office.

His Highness Li Ming was in charge of the Secretariat, carefully reviewing the "Honor Roll" and exercising personnel authority cautiously.

He now temporarily manages the highest decision-making bodies of the court - Menxia Province and Zhongshu Province, while also supervising the highest administrative body - Shangshu Province.

It can be said to be a trinity.

But everything is unity of opposites.

With great power comes great responsibility.

Li Ming reviewed the names and reasons listed by Lao Hou one by one, circled them from time to time, and then stepped back:
"The person I drew the circle for, please reconsider it."

Hou Junji took a quick look and immediately looked embarrassed:

"Your Highness, many of the people you have chosen are those who support you in the court..."

"What I choose here is who governs properly, not who speaks for me." Li Ming's eyes became stern.

Just like the intelligence agency he built himself, he also wanted to establish two on the same level.

Li Ming never limits his information source to one, to avoid falling into the trap of "biased belief leads to ignorance" set by his subordinates.

In addition to Hou Junji's report, which was obviously full of personal opinions, he would also refer to the work progress reports of different officials.

We strive to ensure that no good official suffers any injustice, and no bad official takes advantage of the situation.

Seeing the embarrassed old Hou blushing, Li Ming's tone softened again, and he warned the big corrupt official earnestly:

"Jun Ji, take a long-term view. We should take the world as our responsibility, make the whole world believe in us, and make the whole world become the 'Fourteen Parties'.

"Rather than letting your eyes be led by a small group of flatterers and ignoring the whole world."

After drinking a bowl of chicken soup for the soul, Hou Junji's face looked a little better. He muttered, "I'll take a look again" and left.

Fang Xuanling, who was writing a memorial, said casually:
"Your Highness really doesn't want to seize this opportunity?"

Seize the opportunity to suppress other parties and expand the power of the Fourteen Parties - this is the half of the sentence he omitted.

Li Ming was able to take advantage of the situation by making a big fuss about the assassination and the accident on the Dragon Boat Festival, and he carried out factional campaigns to suppress dissidents in the court.

Why did he become restrained after he had gained power openly and legitimately?

"I have already answered that question."

Li Ming also withdrew his gaze and began to browse again the banknote distribution status of various states and counties summarized and reported by Changsun Wuji.

"Everyone in the world is looking at me, staring at me for any signs that I am unworthy of my position.

"You will gain little now, but lose a lot in the future. Besides..."

He put Changsun Gong's dynamic aside and wrote in red ink on the request submitted by the clown Cen Wenben:
Refer to the implementation.

"This is a matter of national destiny, and it is not the place for petty schemes or intrigues.

"If we cannot achieve fairness and justice, it will poison the working atmosphere, and in the end it will be the people who suffer."

Although it sounds a bit strange, the current Prince Ming has temporarily reached the pinnacle of civil servants.

At this temporary height, the biggest personal gain is to establish a persona of "fairness and justice without any personal agenda" for yourself.

Otherwise, wouldn't the opponents launch a mad attack on him when he hasn't even gained a firm foothold?
From another perspective, he also wants to select talented people and appoint capable people to positions based on their abilities.

Especially on personnel issues, we must never let our subordinates lead us by the nose and allow the formation of interest groups under our command that are impenetrable and impenetrable.

Unlike the Eastern Han Dynasty, which compromised and made concessions with major players across the country, Li Ming's basic base for fighting for the world was still himself and the team he had built.

The "Fourteen Parties" in the court are at most icing on the cake, but definitely not a timely help.

It’s best to support him. If you don’t, then support him.

Don't think of calling yourself a "loyal follower of the dragon" and resting on your laurels.

Get up and work!

If you want a high salary, come and get it yourself!
"..." Fang Xuanling couldn't help but stop writing, his eyes a little dazed.

His Highness's actions are exactly the same as his father's.

Li Shimin did the same thing after his brother died.

No matter how the ministers stood between the three brothers before, in the end they all put aside their past grudges, went into battle with a light heart, and promoted people based on their talents.

Only in this way can we win back the hearts of the people; only in this way can we have the courage to become the common ruler of the world.

Although His Highness didn't say it, it turns out that he had already prepared to "take the world as his own responsibility" - in other words, to rule the world...

Although he was the first angel investor to invest in Li Ming after seeing the bleak future of the Fang family.

But as the day of harvest drew closer, he seemed to hear the sound of footsteps in his ears.

He felt more and more uneasy and unreal...

"Father Fang, what's wrong with you?"

Li Ming couldn't help feeling creepy when he caught a glimpse of Lao Fang staring at him in a daze.

"Oh, that's right."

Fang Xuanling cleared his throat:
“Just as Your Highness expected, after the banknotes were issued, a considerable portion of them quickly fell into the hands of wealthy households.

“They either use force or trick people into buying at prices significantly below fair value.

"The paper money that the court used to provide relief to hungry citizens and exchange for rice and grain was swindled from the people."

The literacy rate in the Tang Dynasty was not as ridiculously low as the "5 percent" in later chaotic times.

But we certainly can't expect everyone to be able to read.

Not to mention making every household understand the abstract meaning behind these papers.

Li Ming had actually taken this factor into consideration when designing the banknotes.

Referring to the advanced experience of a mysterious oriental country (India), he thoughtfully drew one cent, two cents, and even ten cents on small-denomination banknotes.

Enough to cover the daily needs of ordinary people.

However, despite this, there are still many people who have never finished school and have no education, and cannot make the connection between the light paper and the heavy copper coins, or the fragrant rice.

Most people understood it, but not completely.

I don't believe that the imperial court is really willing to take out real gold and silver to exchange for these papers.

Therefore, although these colorful papers are quite beautiful, paper was also a rare commodity in the early Tang Dynasty.

But this thing can't be eaten or worn after all. When the wealthy gentry took out a few buckets of rice and were willing to "buy" these beautiful pieces of paper.

They agreed without hesitation.

The cruel fact is proven:

People cannot earn more money than they know.

Even if the imperial court forcibly used the equal wealth card once.

Resources will eventually return to the hands of a few elites along the same path.

"In time, paper money will become concentrated in the hands of a few wealthy households, just like cash, rice, and cloth before it.

"The people will still have nothing in their hands. What will they do then?"

A rare look of worry appeared on Fang Xuanling's face.

"Oh? That's a good thing."

Unexpectedly, Li Ming, the younger brother who is regarded by Lao Fang as a man with a "global vision", expressed considerable optimism about this worrying trend.

This is a setting that even a tyrant like Emperor Yang of Sui dared not adopt lightly. The problem is not the scarcity of wealth but the inequality of wealth. Shouldn't we at least pretend to be worried?

"Minister Fang, what is our monetary policy for the first stage?"

Looking at the confused Fang Xuanling, Li Ming asked.

Fang Xuanling paused, then briefly recalled:
"Uh... to make everyone believe that paper money can be exchanged?"

"In order to let people exchange paper for rice, we first release some of the rice that was used to replace copper coins, and second, cultivate the habit of collecting and spending paper money among the people."

Li Ming talks freely:

“The willingness of big players to hoard banknotes shows that they believe in the purchasing power of these papers, which is the first step to success.

"If no one wants these papers and no one circulates them in the market, that would be a big problem."

After listening to Li Ming's explanation, Fang Xuanling suddenly realized.

Although it sounds like a joke from hell, the fact that some people snatch these papers and some people cheat them shows that their value is recognized.

But Lao Fang still felt that it was unethical for the wealthy families to take advantage of the court's benevolent measures to profit for themselves and squeeze out the welfare of the poor at this critical juncture.

He then asked:

"Then, Your Highness, how should we deal with the above chaos?"

"If anyone uses force to rob banknotes, he will be charged with robbery of the same amount." Li Ming said:
"As for using other means to induce transactions..."

He paused:

"One is willing to buy and the other is willing to sell, what's wrong with that?"

Fang Xuanling frowned subconsciously and did not refute his leader.

However, this small action let Li Ming know that the old man was not convinced.

Although he is the kind of authoritarian leader who believes that "you must execute it whether you understand it or not."

However, he would still be reluctant to use administrative orders to force his subordinates if he could convince them to truly understand his intentions.

"Minister Fang, those who use deceptive means to hoard paper money, no matter how dirty their means and purposes are."

Li Ming put down his work and said to Fang Xuanling seriously:
"But do they really believe in the value of these papers and the 'credit' of the imperial court?"

Fang Xuanling nodded without hesitation:
"That's true."

If you also think these are waste paper, then why go to so much trouble to deceive it?
Do you want it to be printed beautifully? Or do you want it to be used as a draft?

"Compared to those deceived people who were unwilling to even queue up to collect food and easily gave away the banknotes after a few lies."

Li Ming continued to explain:
"Do these merchants actually trust the imperial court more? If there are more of them, wouldn't it be more beneficial for us to promote paper money and replace copper coins?"

After being enlightened by this, Fang Xuanling finally understood:

"It does help implement our policies... so to encourage this kind of, cheating behavior?"

Li Ming smiled slightly:
“Don’t say it so harshly.

"They are firmly bullish on the country and the court. What's wrong with letting them take some benefits?"

This twisted logic is really... Damn, it's twisted in a unique way...

Fang Xuanling always felt like he had something to complain about, but he couldn't, so he changed his angle.

"So what should those people who have lost all their banknotes do?
"Most of them are poor people without any knowledge, and they are exactly the ones who need the court's relief the most."

"That's why I set the interval for issuing banknotes at ten days," Li Ming said.
“Within ten days, no one will starve to death.

"Let them learn a lesson this time. When the imperial court issues relief banknotes next week, they won't be fooled so easily."

This ten-day interval was finally decided upon after Li Ming held several meetings and discussions with the Minister of Civil Affairs, Chang'an Ling and Wannian Ling.

If the interval is too long, the poor will easily starve to death; but if it is too short, the grassroots officials will be too busy to handle it.

"People can't teach people, but things can teach people. In this way, the poor people can also deeply understand the value of these banknotes.

"In the next ten days, they will stop doing such stupid things and learn to treat these notes as real money."

Li Ming pointed it out bluntly.

It sounds a bit cruel.

But from a macro perspective, this seemingly ruthless but efficient measure is a good policy that can minimize losses and thus protect the interests of the grassroots people to the greatest extent.

Quantitative change leads to qualitative change. According to holism, governance at the macro level is completely different from that at the micro level.

The actual results of a macro move are sometimes very counterintuitive.

This is why the “good intentions, bad execution” situation often occurs.

vice versa.

This is also the meaning of "Governing a big country is like cooking a small fish" -

If the ruler cannot foresee the consequences of his actions.

Then try to do as little messing around as possible.

It is better to leave the problem to the invisible hand of the market to independently allocate.

Hayek's greatest episode.

"That's... indeed..."

Fang Xuanling seemed to want to say something but stopped himself.

He always felt that something was wrong, but he just couldn't put his finger on it.

Li Ming stood up from his seat, walked to Lao Fang who was working at his desk, and patted him on the shoulder like an old friend:

"I know what you're thinking - why should we encourage bad people to get richer and poor people to get poorer, right?"

Stripping away all the superficial appearances, Li Ming's injection of extra banknotes into the market this time is essentially what is often referred to in economics as "throwing money from a helicopter."

This non-directional quantitative easing will eventually drive overall inflation and thus aggravate the gap between the rich and the poor.

"Let's save the child first, and then think about how the child will grow up healthily in the future."

Li Ming said that he only wanted to help Datang survive the current cash shortage.

As for the gap between the rich and the poor, that is far from a problem that can be solved by just spending money.

Let’s wait for human society to evolve for a few thousand more years.

"Then... I will follow your Highness's orders and order the Ministry of Justice and all prefectures and counties to release all those fraudsters."

Fang Xuanling sighed softly.

Although he was still full of doubts, he decided to deepen his understanding through implementation.

One never stops learning. He has been assisting in the government for so many years, but he never expected that he could learn so...new ideas and skills in governing the country.

And from a child.

A year ago, he would never have believed it.

However, his sigh only lasted for a moment.

The two immediately threw themselves into their work.

…………

Time passed and it was almost dusk.

"It's only been a few days and counterfeit money has already appeared...

"Tsk, these unruly people, I have always been devoted to the bright moon, but I have nothing to repay the heavens!"

Li Ming read the report submitted by the Ministry of Justice in an extreme manner, angrily ticking the names on the list one by one with a red pen.

The only way to relieve worries is to kill!

"Your Highness, it's getting late."

Fang Xuanling rubbed his eyes.