In Hongwu, we started as rebels

Chapter 1016 Rumors Spread in the Capital
The next morning, as dawn broke,
The morning mist enveloped the capital, adding a touch of gentleness to this solemn and majestic city.

Near Jubao Gate in the south of the city, in front of Wang's tofu stall,

The steaming hot tofu cubes had just been placed on the counter.

The stall owner, Wang Laosan, approached Zhao the butcher, who was buying tofu, cupped his hand to his mouth, and whispered:
"Brother Zhao, have you heard? That Lord Lu from the Market Exchange Bureau has finally gotten his comeuppance!"

Butcher Zhao, who was carrying a block of tofu, paused upon hearing this, his eyes widening in surprise:

"What retribution? Didn't Lord Lu just get promoted? He's now the Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince, how prestigious!"

"Glorious my foot!"

Wang Laosan glanced around, and seeing that no one was paying attention, continued:
"Have you forgotten about the time he killed prisoners of war on the Yunnan battlefield a few years ago?"
I heard they killed several thousand people. Now look what happened, Heaven is angry!
None of his three concubines could conceive, and even his legal wife couldn't bear him a child.

This is childlessness! A fitting retribution!

Butcher Zhao looked shocked:
"How do you know it?"

Wang Laosan said in a serious tone:

"I heard it from someone who came out of the palace when I went to buy a canopy this morning. How could it be false?"

No sooner had these words been spoken than Aunt Zhang, who was carrying a bucket of soy milk, came over, her eyes gleaming with gossip:
"Really? The Yingtian Trading Company had a big meeting yesterday!"
My son works at a trading company and doesn't get home until late at night; he hasn't heard anything about this.

"Who knows if it's true or not?"
However, for such an important figure to be involved in something like this, it can't be baseless.

Wang Laosan stroked his chin, seemingly lost in thought.

More and more people gathered around, and everyone who heard it looked shocked.

Some people clicked their tongues in dismay at the atrocity, while others frowned:
"That's not right. I heard that Lord Lu just issued a decree."

He was there to repair roads and renovate houses in the city; he didn't seem like a bad person. How could he suffer such retribution?

"What do you know!"

Wang Laosan retorted, his neck stiff with arrogance:

"All officials are good at pretending! They seem easy to talk to on the surface, but they're ruthless behind the scenes! Otherwise, how could they become such high-ranking officials at such a young age?"

"That's true."

Butcher Zhao nodded repeatedly, muttering to himself:
"Such a high-ranking official, it's so tragic if he doesn't have a son. Who will inherit all that wealth?"

Upon hearing this, everyone sighed, filled with regret.

Time flies, and morning passes in the blink of an eye.

The Qingfeng Tea House in Midtown was packed with diners, mostly well-off people who didn't have to work.

Before long, the storyteller, Mr. Zhou, strolled over leisurely.

With a sharp crack of the gavel, the audience fell silent instantly.

He picked up his teacup, took a sip, glanced at the assembled tea drinkers, and slowly began to speak:
"Today we won't talk about the Three Kingdoms or the Sui and Tang Dynasties. Instead, I'll tell you a fresh story that happened just yesterday."

"What's new?" someone in the audience couldn't help but ask.

"Do you all know that He Zicheng, the Grand Secretary of the Wenhua Hall, died yesterday on the official road leading out of the capital? Can you guess how he died?"

There was an uproar in the audience:
"Wasn't it said he died of illness?"

"I heard it was a robbery! The robbers robbed us of our money to silence us!"

Mr. Zhou slammed the gavel down heavily, his voice suddenly rising in pitch:

"That's not right! He committed adultery with his daughter-in-law, and was killed by the ghost of his deceased son!"

"what?!"

Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes lit up instantly.

They have always been willing to listen to such sordid things that happen inside high walls.

Even the teahouse owner, holding a bowl of peanuts, leaned over the counter, straining his ears to listen.

Mr. Zhou cleared his throat and began to speak vividly:
"That He Zicheng, on the surface he is a great Confucian scholar, but behind the scenes he has done all sorts of despicable things!"

His second son died two years ago, and his daughter-in-law has been a widow for a long time.

He took advantage of her while she was drunk at night and raped her!

My daughter-in-law is now three months pregnant. Yesterday, while drinking herbal tea at the inn, she suddenly had severe abdominal pain. Guess what happened?

His daughter-in-law lay on the bed, repeatedly crying out, "Husband, spare me!"

He Zicheng himself clutched his chest, crying out, "Dad was wrong!"
Within half an hour, both of them had breathed their last!

"Oh my God!"

An elderly scholar by the window was so startled that he spilled his teacup.

"This is outrageous! He has completely disgraced scholars!"

“That’s right!” Mr. Zhou continued.
"I heard that some kind-hearted people went to collect the body, and they even saw He Zicheng's hand tightly gripping his daughter-in-law's clothes."
The blood flowing from his mouth was black; this was retribution for being haunted by his son's ghost!

The audience erupted in discussion.

Some condemned them as worse than beasts, while others lamented that they were scum of a civilized society.
Some people didn't believe this absurd claim, but they still joined in the commotion, always eager to see more excitement.

The teahouse owner chimed in:
"I went to buy tea this morning, and the tea shop owner's son works for the Embroidered Uniform Guard."
It is said that He Zicheng's coachman and assistant also died.
Blood was flowing from all seven orifices; it must have been tainted by the bad luck of this filthy affair!

Just then, a vendor suddenly rushed in through the door, shouting as he ran:

"Stop talking about He Zicheng! Go check on the grain store!"

From now on, the grain stores of Yingtian Trading Company will only accept paper money, not silver!

Everyone looked at each other,

Has Yingtian Trading Company gone mad?

In the square in front of Yingtian Trading Company, shop assistant Liu Er stood on the steps.

A huge notice board stood beside him, and he held up a black wooden sign in his hand.

It reads, "Starting today, only paper money will be accepted for settlement."

He shouted loudly to the crowd below:

"Fellow villagers, Lord Lu of the Market Exchange Bureau has given an order!"

From now on, all merchants under the jurisdiction of the Market and Exchange Bureau shall only use paper money for settlement, and shall not accept gold or silver!

Furthermore, the prices of goods from Yingtian Trading Company will not increase by a single cent!
This is a new policy specially implemented by the Market and Commerce Bureau to thank the people of the capital region for their support, so that everyone can benefit!

These words initially shocked everyone, but then brought a surge of joy.
The exchange rate for paper money to silver is currently 70%. If you were to exchange silver for paper money...

I bought things from the shop again and made a 30% profit for nothing!
Upon realizing this, many intelligent people immediately turned around.
He ran home to get the silver, intending to exchange it for paper money; even if he didn't exchange it, he would still spend the paper money.

A shady spot near the Imperial College in the north of the city.
Several old men basking in the sun gathered together and chatted idly.

Old Zhang stroked his white beard, his voice slow and deliberate, yet tinged with certainty:

"Don't listen to the nonsense in the teahouse! He Zicheng isn't being haunted by a ghost; His Majesty wants him dead!"

"You can't just say things like that!"

Old Man Li, who was standing nearby, quickly reminded him and cautiously glanced around.
"Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven, how can you kill ministers so casually?"

"Why not?" Old Zhang asked in a low voice.

"My grandson works at the palace gate, and he secretly told me yesterday..."

He Zicheng submitted a memorial before leaving the capital.

If the paper money is to be abolished and replaced with silver, His Majesty values ​​the paper money the most, how can he be allowed to make such a mess of things?
So they sent the Imperial Guards to pursue him and poison He Zicheng!

"My goodness!" someone gasped.
"He Zicheng is a Grand Secretary, yet His Majesty can kill him so easily?"

"What's so special about that?" Old Zhang snorted.
"His Majesty executed a Duke last year, what is a Grand Secretary compared to that?"
He offended His Majesty by submitting his memorial, and he still thinks he can return to Jiangnan alive? He's dreaming!

The people around grew increasingly frightened as they listened, with some remarking that serving a ruler was like serving a tiger.
Just then, a scholar in a blue cloth robe rushed by, shouting:

"Hurry home and exchange your money for silver! I heard the imperial court is going to abolish paper money and only accept silver from now on!"

"what?"

The expressions of everyone present changed, and they all looked at Old Man Zhang. Now they realized that what he had said earlier made some sense.

In front of Rongyuan Money Shop not far away,
The area was now packed with people who had rushed over after hearing the news.

Wu Ruifeng, the money shop owner, stood behind the counter, his forehead covered in sweat, and shouted to the people outside:
"Fellow villagers, please don't push!"

The shop is short of cash, so the exchange rate for silver notes can only be 60%!
"These are the employer's rules; there's nothing I can do about it!"

"Sixty percent?"

Chen, the scholar, turned pale as he clutched ten strings of cash in his hand.
"Yesterday it was 70%, how come it's only 60% today? Are you lying to me?"

Why would I lie to you?

Wu Ruifeng grew anxious, took out a slip of paper and waved it.

"You all know the news, how could the boss not know?"
He sent someone to deliver a message in the morning, saying that the imperial court was going to abolish paper money and only use silver from now on, and paper money would soon become worthless!

Now you can get 60% back, but in a few days, you might not even be able to get 10% back!
Are you going to honor it or not?
If you're not going to pay, then get out of the way and don't block other people's way!

These words caused complete chaos among the crowd.

Some people cried out that they had saved up nothing but precious paper money, while others desperately pushed forward, trying to exchange all the precious paper money for it.

Looking at the chaotic crowd, Wu Ruifeng felt uneasy.

In the past, these currency exchange transactions were always done secretly.
With such a big commotion today, I'm really afraid the authorities will come and arrest him.

But since his employer had given the order, he dared not disobey.

The chaos in front of the money exchange lasted for half an hour.
The news from the central city finally reached the north of the city:
"Everyone should go to Yingtian Trading Company to buy things!"
Yingtian Trading Company will only accept paper money from now on; the news that the imperial court is going to abolish silver is false!

I don't know who shouted it first,
The entrance to the money exchange fell silent instantly, and everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.

Then, with a loud bang, the crowd scattered like birds and beasts.

Regardless of whether the imperial court abolishes paper money in the future, let's spend the paper money we have first!

Even if you can't get into Yingtian Trading Company, it's still worthwhile to buy some rice, flour, oil, and salt.

As the sun began to set, its orange-red rays painted the clouds on the horizon crimson.

The autumn heat in the capital city has dissipated somewhat, but the bustling activity in the surrounding cities remains undiminished.

Long queues still formed outside grain and cloth shops.

The people clutched their banknotes, tiptoed, and handed them to the counter.
Yingtian Trading Company was already packed with people; those who couldn't get in went to other shops.
Nobody wants to let money changers and the black market pocket 30% of the difference.

Amidst this commotion, various chaotic rumors also circulated.

The entire capital city seemed to be wrapped in an invisible net, bustling yet chaotic.

Inside the Ministry of Revenue in the Imperial City,
Kong Tianzong, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, stormed back to his office, his face flushed red.

Clutching a notice from Yingtian Trading Company, he slammed it onto the table:
"This is utterly absurd! Lu Yunyi is going to ruin the money law!"

The officials in the yamen were all stunned, and they all lowered their heads, none of them daring to speak.

Zhou Ji'an, the person in charge, quickly stood up to smooth things over:

"Lord Kong, please calm down and tell me slowly what happened."

Kong Tianzong grew increasingly angry. He grabbed the teacup on the table, gulped down a mouthful, turned, and walked out, shouting as he did so:

"Guards! Follow me to the Market and Exchange Bureau!"

The officials looked at each other, then, with a heavy heart, followed.

The Market and Exchange Office was originally a side courtyard next to the Six Ministries.
Now it looks very grand, and the surrounding ground has been renovated.

The roof tiles on the wall were replaced with glazed tiles.
The walls have been repainted white, and there are even a few craftsmen repairing the corners.

Upon seeing this, Kong Tianzong snorted coldly:
"Spending the imperial court's money to pursue one's own selfish desires is utterly absurd!"

At the entrance of the Market Exchange Office, two minor officials were guarding the gate. Upon seeing Kong Tianzong arrive, they quickly and warily stopped him.

"Lord Kong, who are you looking for?"

"Step aside!"

Kong Tianzong shoved the clerk aside and barged straight inside.

The old tables and chairs in the main hall were removed and replaced with long tables.
Several minor officials sat around a long table, checking the account books.

Lu Yunyi sat in the main seat, flipping through news from various parts of the capital that day, his brows slightly furrowed.

"Lu Yunyi!"

Kong Tianzong burst in, his voice suddenly rising in pitch.
"Explain yourself clearly why you ordered the merchants to only accept paper money for settlement. Do you have no respect for the rules of the imperial court?!"

The minor officials were all startled and looked up at the vice minister who had barged in.

His face was filled with shock; this person was incredibly audacious.

Lu Yunyi raised his head, closed the booklet, looked calmly at Kong Tianzong, and spoke in a detached tone:
"Lord Kong, when did the Ministry of Revenue become the purview of the Market and Exchange Bureau?"

Kong Tianzong was so angry that his face turned red and his neck bulged. He stepped forward and pointed at Lu Yunyi:
"The monetary system is the responsibility of the Ministry of Revenue! Your use of paper money instead of silver for settlement is an overreach of authority!"
Did you know that many merchants are now asking if silver is becoming useless?
My original intention with the Single Whip Tax System was to collect taxes in silver.
If you do this, everyone will say the court is about to change course, how will taxes be collected then?

Lu Yunyi frowned as he looked at the hand the man was pointing at.
She raised her hand and slapped his hand hard on the back of his hand.
Kong Tianzong staggered, and a sharp pain instantly shot through the back of his hand.

Before he could react, Lu Yunyi's cold voice rang out:
"Lord Kong, it's clearly written in the Ming Dynasty law."
Paper money is the legal tender within the territory of the Ming Dynasty. What is wrong with the Market Exchange Bureau accepting paper money?
You, a third-rank official who rose through family connections,

You haven't even secured your position in the capital yet, who gave you the audacity to cause trouble at the Marketplace?

"To fail to bow to one's superior is considered insubordination. Do you even respect the laws of the court?"

Kong Tianzong's face stiffened, and he straightened up to look at Lu Yunyi's youthful face.
He suddenly realized that the person in front of him was a second-rank official, and that he had indeed been impolite.

He took a deep breath, his expression shifting several times, before finally bowing deeply.
"Greetings, Lord Lu. I apologize for my presumption."
However, I believe that silver is the only true hard currency, and the people all accept it!
The paper money will eventually become worthless.
"The people will suffer immense losses, and the court will lose the hearts of the people!"

Lu Yunyi waved his hand:
"When it comes to monetary matters, I know more than you; there's no need for you to show off here."
Only by using paper money can the imperial court stabilize its financial power, and only then can the world be at peace.

Kong Tianzong was speechless, his face turning red and then white.

He wanted to argue, but the Market and Commerce Bureau controlled the three major trading companies.

Having real, circulating funds in hand is all that matters; no amount of talk is meaningful.

"Lord Lu, even if you are right, you should still consult with the Ministry of Revenue! You issued the order on your own; do you even respect your colleagues from the Six Ministries?"

Lu Yunyi looked at him, his eyes filled with mockery:

"Lord Kong, when you proposed the Single Whip Law at the court assembly, advocating for the abolition of paper money and the replacement with silver, did you consult with the Market and Exchange Bureau?"

He paused, then his tone became more serious:
"I advise you to hurry back to the Ministry of Revenue."
Instruct the Treasury to set up more exchange points at each city gate.

Now, people either want to exchange their silver for banknotes or their paper money.
If there aren't enough money exchange points, they'll go to underground banks.
In that case, all the money will be taken away by those unscrupulous wealthy people.
Your single-whip method is truly unworkable.

Kong Tianzong was stunned for a moment, his heart skipped a beat, he had forgotten about the underground bank.

Those money shops have always been suppressing the exchange rate for paper money, and now the people all want to take advantage of the paper money.

The idea that one could collect taxes by relying on silver if the silver was taken away by wealthy households is indeed wishful thinking.

But he was still unconvinced and said through gritted teeth:

Even so, you should first petition His Majesty!

"His Majesty already knows," Lu Yunyi said calmly.

"Yesterday I presented the method of replacing silver with paper money to His Majesty, and His Majesty ordered the Market and Exchange Bureau to pilot it first."

"What, does Lord Kong think His Majesty's decision is wrong?"

Upon hearing this, Kong Tianzong completely lost his temper.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something but unable to utter a word. In the end, he could only let out a heavy snort, turn around, and leave.

"Lord Lu, you'd better take care of yourself!"

"Wait!" Lu Yunyi looked at them and spoke calmly.
The group stopped and turned around, looking puzzled.
A fierce glint flashed in Lu Yunyi's eyes, and he sneered:
"Do you think you can come and go as you please at the Market and Exchange Bureau? Guards, throw them out here, throw them in front of the Ministry of Revenue!"

"Yes!" The guards waiting at the door rushed in and detained everyone without saying a word.

Kong Tianzong looked completely bewildered, gaining a new understanding of Lu Yunyi's audacity, and immediately began to struggle.
"Let go, let go of me! Lu Yunyi, how dare you!!"

Lu Yunyi ignored him and waved his hand.
The group was dragged out by the guards like chicks!

(End of this chapter)