My father is Chongzhen? Then I have no choice but to rebel.

Chapter 305 Chongzhen: I finally don't have to embarrass myself anymore!
Seeing this scene, the civil officials, led by Xue Guoguan, realized that they could no longer stand there dumbfounded.

Although they always pride themselves on being honest and incorruptible, after all those incidents, who would believe that they were truly so honest as to be unable to produce even tens of thousands of taels of silver?

Immediately, Grand Secretary Xue Guoguan stepped forward, picked up a Ming Dynasty national bond, glanced at it briefly, and then spoke:
"Your Majesty, this old minister is willing to purchase 200,000 taels of silver worth of Ming Dynasty bonds."

Although Xue Guoguan was the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet and was somewhat greedy, he actually didn't have much money to spare. This 200,000 taels of silver was already his limit, and he would have to ask his son back home to contribute some more.

Seeing that the Grand Secretary had expressed his opinion, the other civil officials no longer insisted and began to speak up:
"Your Majesty, I am willing to purchase 100,000 taels of silver in Ming Dynasty bonds!"

"Your Majesty, I am willing to purchase 200,000 taels of silver worth of Ming Dynasty bonds!"

"Your Majesty, I am willing to purchase 50,000 taels of Ming Dynasty bonds!"

Before long, the Ming Dynasty bonds were sold for 2.6 million taels of silver.

Emperor Chongzhen sat on his dragon throne, watching this scene unfold before him. Though a faint smile graced his face, deep down he was cursing each and every one of these officials.

Back then, whenever he mentioned borrowing money, these officials would avoid him like the plague, making excuses and even complaining about their poverty and how difficult their families were.

But now, in just a few minutes, these people have taken out 2.6 million taels of silver. How can he not be angry?

But despite his anger, Chongzhen knew in his heart that now was not the time to lose his temper.

He could only suppress his anger and force a smile as he said:
"I am truly pleased that my ministers have such awareness. Rest assured, everything the Crown Prince just said stands."

"Next year, you can take the Ming Dynasty bonds to the Ming Dynasty Royal Bank to exchange for silver. If the Ministry of Revenue cannot come up with the money by then, the Imperial Treasury will cover it. I will never break my promise to you, my beloved ministers."

Upon hearing this, everyone quickly said in unison:
"Your Majesty is too kind. This is our duty, and it is our honor to share Your Majesty's burdens."

Just then, Grand Secretary Xue Guoguan seemed to suddenly realize something, frowned slightly, and then cautiously asked:
"Your Majesty, if the national debt of the Great Ming Dynasty matures, but some people forget to redeem it, or fail to redeem it in time due to other reasons, what should be done then?"

Upon hearing this, everyone perked up their ears.

After all, the question raised by Xue Guoguan was indeed very reasonable.

Although the Ming Dynasty national bonds can be exchanged for silver after one year, if someone forgets due to negligence or if some unexpected situation occurs and they don't have time to exchange them, wouldn't the national bonds become a piece of waste paper?
If that's the case, wouldn't the people be at a huge disadvantage?

However, it is clear that Emperor Chongzhen and Emperor Zhu Cilang had already discussed this matter.

Then, Chongzhen calmly said:

"My dear ministers, please rest assured. I have already thought of this. Even if some people do not have time to redeem the Ming Dynasty bonds by the due date, it does not matter, because there is no time limit for redeeming the Ming Dynasty bonds."

"In other words, even if you bring the Ming Dynasty bonds to the Ming Dynasty Bank to exchange them ten or twenty years later, the Ming Dynasty Bank will still exchange them as they are, but the interest will only be calculated for one year."

"I assure you all that as long as I am alive, these Ming Dynasty national bonds can be exchanged for real gold and silver."

"Even if I am gone one day, there is still the Crown Prince. If the Crown Prince is gone, there is still my grandson. In short, as long as the Ming Dynasty exists, future emperors must acknowledge the national debt of the Ming Dynasty and will never allow the interests of the people to suffer any loss."

Upon hearing this, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief, and their previously anxious hearts were finally at ease.

At the same time, someone looking at the name of Emperor Chongzhen on the Ming Dynasty bonds suddenly had a flash of inspiration and came up with another idea.

So, if this thing is kept as a religious object, will it have any other use in the future?
After all, it bears the emperor's personal signature; it might even become a family heirloom someday.
After discussing this matter, everyone immediately began to subscribe to the Ming Dynasty bonds.

They divided the money among themselves according to the numbers everyone had just mentioned.

However, because the amount of Ming Dynasty bonds brought by Chongzhen was less than the amount needed for everyone to share, Chongzhen had Wang Chengen make a special trip to Kunning Palace to bring out several hundred thousand taels of Ming Dynasty bonds, which was enough for everyone to share.

After returning, they would transport the silver directly to the Ministry of Revenue to complete the subscription of the national bonds.

Of course, considering that this is also a considerable sum of money, the timeframe is quite generous; the silver only needs to be handed over to the Ministry of Revenue within three months.

Just before everyone was about to leave, Chongzhen gave them a special instruction:
"My beloved ministers, after you return, remember to inform your relatives and friends about this matter, and make sure that the Ming Dynasty's national bonds are issued smoothly."

"Because the issuance of the Great Ming national bonds is related to the fate of the Great Ming and the well-being of the people, all of you ministers must do your best to accomplish this task."

Knowing the weight of these words, everyone quickly said in unison:

"Your Majesty, rest assured, we will obey your command! We will certainly handle this matter well so that the Ming Dynasty's national bonds can be smoothly promoted among the people."

Emperor Chongzhen nodded in satisfaction upon hearing this.

Then everyone said their goodbyes and left.

After everyone had left, Chongzhen looked at Zhu Cilang, a relieved smile on his face, and said:
"I didn't expect things to go so smoothly. I was worried that we would encounter many obstacles."

Zhu Cilang chuckled and said:

"Father, you are overthinking it. In my opinion, this matter is not that difficult."

"In the end, it's because the country now has money and has won several battles, giving it confidence. If it were the Ming Dynasty of the past, with its empty treasury and inability to win battles against foreign powers, they wouldn't be so willing to buy into it."

Upon hearing this, Chongzhen nodded with considerable emotion, as if he were recalling his own disheveled state when he borrowed money before.

At that time, he begged and pleaded with officials everywhere to borrow money, but all he got in return were repeated rejections and excuses. The helplessness and humiliation he felt are still vivid in his mind.

Seeing the smooth issuance of the Ming Dynasty's national bonds, he couldn't help but feel a surge of relief.

He won't have to be so embarrassed anymore!
Once the matter was settled, the Da Ming Daily would publicize it extensively for a period of time to ensure the smooth sale of Da Ming national bonds in the capital.

Don't underestimate the purchasing power of the capital. Although Zhu Cilang had already "plundered" the nobles and officials in the capital several times before, they still had a lot of money in their homes.

These nobles and officials have amassed a great deal of wealth by exploiting the people. Now, asking them to use some of it to buy national bonds can be considered a contribution to the Ming Dynasty.

Besides, there were many wealthy merchants in the capital, each with a fortune, who were also the main force behind this Ming Dynasty national debt.

These wealthy merchants understood the importance of investment, and once they saw the benefits and guarantees behind the Ming Dynasty's national bonds, they naturally wouldn't miss the opportunity.

With this in mind, Zhu Cilang summoned Xia Dewu directly that afternoon.

Not long after, Xia Dewu rushed over.

"Your Highness, I pay my respects!"

Upon seeing Zhu Cilang, Xia Dewu immediately bowed and greeted him with utmost respect.

Because he knew in his heart that the Crown Prince in front of him was no ordinary person. He was not only intelligent and wise, but also capable of leading the army to victory. He dared not be the slightest bit negligent in front of him.

Zhu Cilang first stared at Xia Dewu on the ground for a few moments, then chuckled softly:

"Rise." Xia Dewu then stood up, bowing his head slightly, awaiting Zhu Cilang's next instructions.

Zhu Cilang did not rush to bring up the matter of the Ming Dynasty's national debt, but instead asked first:
"The Ming Royal Chamber of Commerce and the Ming State-run stores have been doing quite well lately, haven't they?"

Xia Dewu had anticipated that Zhu Cilang would ask these questions, so upon hearing this, he quickly replied:
"Your Highness, both businesses are doing quite well these days."

"With the support of the imperial court and its own reputation, the Ming Dynasty Royal Chamber of Commerce has carried out trade in various places and its business is very prosperous."

"The state-run stores of the Ming Dynasty attracted many people with their wide variety of goods and low prices. Combined, these two factors brought in more than one million taels of silver each month."

"Here are the detailed accounts. Please take a look, Your Highness."

As Xia Dewu spoke, he took out a bill from his sleeve and respectfully handed it to Ma Bao, who was standing to the side.

Upon hearing this, Ma Bao quickly reached out and took it, then handed it to Zhu Cilang.

But Zhu Cilang had no intention of checking the accounts, and he knew that Xia Dewu wouldn't dare to act recklessly in such a matter.

After all, Zhu Cilang had arranged his own spies in these places, who were closely monitoring Xia Dewu's every move. If Xia Dewu had dared to do anything suspicious, he wouldn't be standing here alive today.

So Zhu Cilang simply waved his hand, signaling Ma Bao to put the account book aside, and then continued:

"I still trust you, so I won't look at the account books. To tell you the truth, I came to see you today because I want you to see something."

As Zhu Cilang spoke, he took two Ming Dynasty bonds of different denominations from the table beside him and handed them to Ma Bao, asking Ma Bao to give them to Xia Dewu.

Ma Bao then handed over the two Ming Dynasty bonds to Xia Dewu.

Xia Dewu reached out and took the two Ming Dynasty bonds, somewhat bewildered, then subconsciously read them aloud:

"Ming Dynasty National Debts"

Then he saw the three large characters at the end and read them aloud as well.

"Zhu Youjian".

Then there were three more words on another Ming Dynasty national bond.

"Zhu Cilang".

However, Xia Dewu didn't immediately understand what those two names meant. After all, as a businessman, he usually only focused on business matters and wouldn't pay attention to the names of the emperor and the crown prince.

Upon hearing this, Ma Bao, who was standing to the side, became somewhat angry.

Not
How dare this guy do that?
The next second, he widened his eyes and shouted angrily:
"How dare you! You dare to address His Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince by their given names! Do you know that this is a grave offense of disrespect!"

Upon hearing this, Xia Dewu shuddered and broke out in a cold sweat.

At the same time, he finally remembered.

Emperor Chongzhen's name was Zhu Youjian, wasn't it?
Isn't the Crown Prince's name Zhu Cilang?
At this moment, Xia Dewu almost cried, because he really hadn't remembered it!

He immediately knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly, saying:

"Your Highness, spare my life! I truly did not know these were the names of His Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince. I deserve to die, I deserve to die!"

Since the mistake has already been made, then just refuse to admit it to the death!

Anyway, he was originally a businessman, so it's normal that he didn't know the emperor's and crown prince's names, right?

Zhu Cilang found Xia Dewu's panicked appearance somewhat amusing, then waved his hand and said:

"Alright, alright, get up. Ignorance is no excuse, and I will not blame you."

"I'm showing you these Ming Dynasty bonds today because I want your help in figuring out how to promote them smoothly among wealthy merchants in the capital."

"You've been working in the business world for many years, so you must have some insights into this matter."

As Zhu Cilang spoke, he told Xia Dewu about the Ming Dynasty's national debt.

After listening to Zhu Cilang's words, Xia Dewu breathed a sigh of relief and then stood up shakily.

After calming himself down a bit, Xia Dewu said:
"Your Highness, please rest assured. I have also made many acquaintances in the business community of the capital. I will go and communicate with them to introduce the benefits and guarantees of the Ming Dynasty national bonds, so that they can purchase them with confidence."

Zhu Cilang nodded and said:

“That’s excellent. The issuance of these Ming Dynasty bonds is of great importance to the Ming Dynasty. It will not only alleviate the financial pressure on the court, but also benefit the people.”

"You must handle this matter well, and I will not treat you unfairly."

Xia Dewu quickly said:
"Your Highness, rest assured, I will certainly live up to your expectations!"

In Xia Dewu's view, selling these Ming Dynasty bonds was not a difficult task at all!
First of all, this thing has interest. You can earn 1,200 taels of silver a year from 10,000 taels of silver, and 12,000 taels of silver a year from 100,000 taels of silver.

Although the profit margin isn't as high as other businesses, this thing is safe!

After all, this thing is backed by the entire Ming Dynasty!

Plus, this thing can be used to offset 10% of the tax, which is another source of income!
Not to mention that it also has the signatures of the emperor and the crown prince!
Honestly, it wouldn't be a loss to buy one and keep it as a keepsake!
Who knows, this thing might save your life someday!
Thinking of this, Xia Dewu then cautiously asked:

"May I ask Your Highness, may I also purchase some Ming Dynasty government bonds?"

Zhu Cilang was not surprised to hear this, but smiled and said:

"Of course, anyone can buy Ming Dynasty bonds, even merchants from foreign countries."

Upon hearing this, Xia Dewu became excited, because he had already decided to use most of his wealth to buy the Ming Dynasty bonds!

Then he quickly added:
"Your Highness, if there are no other instructions, I will make the arrangements immediately!"

Zhu Cilang nodded, then turned to Ma Bao, who was standing to the side, and said:
"Take the things out!"

Immediately afterwards, Ma Bao took a box from a short distance away and handed it to Xia Dewu.

Upon opening it, one was astonished to find a stack of large-denomination Ming Dynasty bonds inside.

(End of this chapter)