Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 280: Confession
The Zhang family mansion in Kangsufang remained somber today, with only the loudest sounds coming from the east wing: Zheng Shi's unrestrained cursing and Zhang A's wailing and lamentation. As a result, the clansmen dared not venture into the east wing easily, and even servants who had to go would leave as quickly as possible.

After visiting Gao Lishi, Zhang Dai stayed home and did not go out. Apart from doing a few essay questions assigned by his grandfather, he wrote a business plan.

After Gao Lishi presented his plan to reform the flying coins to the emperor, he received the emperor's approval. However, there is still no definite conclusion on how to implement it.

Therefore, Zhang Dai first wrote down his planned Bianzhou Flying Money Project as a template.

With the imperial court's credit as a guarantee, operating a flying money business no longer required someone with great power, but one must have substantial financial resources to at least meet the requirements of initial capital verification and tax payment, as well as subsequent flying money redemption.

Zhang Dai was also unsure of the scale of the money needed to travel from Bianzhou to Luoyang.

Although Gao Lishi used his connections to retrieve some records related to market supervision and commercial taxes from various government departments, these records were not systematic and were difficult to calculate one by one. In particular, the correlation between these data and the flying money was uncertain, and their reference value was still debatable.

This means that the tax standard for flying money cannot be based on the size of the flying money, but should be based on the amount of funds needed by the imperial court.

The discrepancy between this and actual market demand is the risk that the first batch of people involved in the money laundering industry had to bear.

They might have prepaid a large sum of taxes, but if market development was severely lacking, profits would fall far short of expenses. Add to that other operating costs, and they would undoubtedly lose everything. However, if the government set a low tax rate, but the business volume of the "flying money" scheme skyrocketed, then they could undoubtedly amass a fortune.

For Zhang Dai, making money was secondary; what he valued was the various social resources that the flying money could gather. Therefore, regardless of profit or loss, he was determined to obtain the flying money from Bianzhou.

Therefore, when he made plans, he mainly focused on the operating model of Feiqian, and the data on costs and benefits were not very rigorous.

The regulations governing how to deposit and withdraw flying money in Bianzhou, how to redeem it in the two capitals, and even the quality of coins circulating in various regions, all required comprehensive stipulations. It should be noted that counterfeit coins were rampant in Tang Dynasty society; if the quality of coins was not considered in the deposit and withdrawal of such large sums of money, simply depositing counterfeit coins and withdrawing good ones could generate substantial profits.

Previously, the problem of "flying money" in the two capitals wasn't serious. This was partly because the two capitals had relatively stricter regulations on it, and partly because the operators of "flying money" in the two capitals were all ruthless. If you tried to extort large sums of dirty money from people, you might end up losing your life.

But now that the market is open to all states, the differences between regions are much greater. In particular, the Jianghuai region is thriving in commerce and has a lot of bad money. If you do business in Yangzhou all day, you probably won't have the same coins twice. If you really encounter a wealthy old coin, you might even be able to use iron coins minted during the reign of Emperor Wu of Liang.

Counter money shops cannot accept large amounts of bad money, but at the same time they cannot completely refuse it. The market is already flooded with bad money due to insufficient money supply. Now that a large amount of good money has been taken into counter money shops and no longer participates in circulation, it will undoubtedly make bad money even more prevalent.

While wealthy merchants could enjoy the convenience brought by the "flying money" scheme, the negative consequences of its rampant circulation were borne by small and medium-sized merchants and ordinary people. As a result, the "flying money" scheme became a wicked law that suppressed urban commerce rather than an accelerator for commercial development.

At the same time, the price of cloth, which has the characteristics of a commodity and is also a form of currency, varies in different regions. If the money shop accepts both money and cloth, then there must be relevant regulations regarding the ratio of cloth to cash and the exchange procedures.

Ultimately, the problem stems from the uneven regional development and diverse customs and traditions resulting from poor transportation and limited communication in medieval society. For Feiqian to establish an efficient financial circulation system, it must be compatible with and make concessions to these regional differences.

The specific manifestation of this compatibility and compromise is that the amount of money received and withdrawn will fluctuate to some extent, either more or less.

Zhang Dai referred to this fluctuation as "estimated difference." He believed that an estimated difference within 10% was acceptable, but if it exceeded 10%, the transaction could not be completed, and the money could only be returned from the place of processing or the government could be asked to intervene for arbitration.

The 10% figure is merely a quantification of the differences in market trade between Bianzhou and the two capitals. As for other places, the differences may be smaller or larger due to regional differences, which is something Zhang Dai could not account for.

He proposed this concept to facilitate data-driven consultations between Gao Lishi and merchants in various states when coordinating the actual implementation of this matter. A smaller estimation error obviously means a more stable operation of the money transfer service; a larger estimation error means greater volatility and more loopholes that can be exploited.

However, if it is a geographically isolated yet extremely wealthy region like Sichuan, which also yearns for external communication, the price difference could be set even higher, and Sichuan merchants would still flock to it.

As for other more complex and profound issues, they can only be gradually discovered and resolved during subsequent operation.

Ultimately, "flying money" is merely an attempt at reforming the financial circulation system; it neither involves the redistribution of resources nor causes a significant impact on productivity.

Even if some rash actions cause social unrest, it will only affect the interests of a minority of groups in society, and there will be enough room for buffer and repair.

To put it bluntly, the number of bankrupt merchants and ship owners caused by a strong wind and heavy rain that capsizes cargo ships on rivers, lakes, and seas is probably greater than the number caused by the loopholes and flaws exposed in the Flying Money system.

Merchants are very active, and the gathering and dispersal of resources are most evident in them. Therefore, it is most reliable to start with them when making any experimental adjustments.

Of course, plans made hastily on a whim are highly irresponsible, so Zhang Dai was also drawing on his knowledge and ideas to refine the plan as much as possible. According to Gao Lishi's plan, goods rented from Jiangnan would gradually travel north in May and June, at which point Luoyang, the eastern capital, would once again be abundant with money and goods. With a large sum of money in hand, whether through official coordination or direct market purchases, they would ensure that the supplies needed for the return to the capital were secured before autumn, allowing the Emperor to return to Chang'an after such a long absence.

Although a windfall was obtained from the investigation of stolen goods in Bianzhou, this money had to first go to the Ministry of Justice and then to the Ministry of Revenue to fill some financial gaps that had persisted since last year. Even before it entered the capital, various plans for its use had already been drafted.

Therefore, the sage's travel expenses home could only be covered by other means, and the reform of the flying money system had to be completed in July or August. Only after receiving enough money could the plan be made.

It was now early May, and raising such a large amount of money and supplies in just over two months was undoubtedly a very difficult task. Gao Lishi was very concerned about this, and Zhang Dai also needed to come up with a mature and feasible plan within this timeframe.

He was so engrossed in conceiving his plans that he temporarily put everything else aside. It wasn't until his family rushed over to report that Wang Sixian from the Northern Army had arrived with his son and a host of servants that he remembered the matter and got up to go outside.

"My lord, Wang Sixian's expression is very hostile. He has come here with no good intentions. We must not show our faces to him lightly."

Ding Cang quickly stepped forward and said to Zhang Dai with a serious expression.

“When people come to the door, where can they hide, whether they are good or evil? If we let them make a ruckus outside, it will disturb the inner courtyard.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai first spoke in a deep voice, then after thinking for a moment, he added, "Go and ask who else in your household is willing to come out with me."

After thinking for a moment, he went back to his room and put on the leather armor that Yang Sixu had given him, just in case. Ding Cang strolled around the house for a while and then returned, whispering to Zhang Dai, "Tell the West Courtyard Attendant that he is hosting a banquet in the hall today, and not to disturb him with trivial matters. As for the other gentlemen, some will arrive shortly, while others will go to the capital to inform Lord Yan..."

Zhang Ji was sent to Chang'an by Zhang Dai on his grandfather's advice just after the New Year, but Chang'an was deserted at the moment, so he returned to Luoyang. This guy was also very slippery, a useless pretty face with no sense of responsibility, and could not be counted on at all.

At this moment, clansmen arrived one after another, each holding a stick or staff. Some shouted, "Sixth Brother, don't be alarmed! We are at home now. If that North Gate official really wants to come and commit violence, we will make sure they don't leave alive!"

Zhang Dai didn't think the other party had come to provoke him; perhaps his bounty had intimidated them. But these guys from the North Gate weren't very bright, and their actions were unpredictable. So he simply nodded and led his clansmen and servants toward the main hall.

At this moment, in the main hall of the Zhang family mansion, a group of servants were also holding sticks and confronting Wang Sixian and his group who had barged in. Zhang Dai arrived and took a quick look around before his gaze fell on Wang Sixian, who was in the lead. He asked in a deep voice, "What brings me here, Wang?"

“My youngest son recently got into a fight with your younger brother, Zhang Qilang, and accidentally injured someone. Knowing he is guilty, I have come to apologize today. I beg your forgiveness, and my son and I will be eternally grateful!”

Wang Sixian first explained his purpose to Zhang Dai, then turned to his son and ordered, "Hurry up and go forward to beg Sixth Brother for forgiveness!"

"Excuse me?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Chongjun was naturally reluctant. He had thought his father had come with such a menacing air to intimidate the Zhang family, but instead, he was bowing his head and admitting his mistake. He had previously been praised and admired by his companions for this incident, and now he was being asked to come and apologize. How could he bear such a situation?
But when he thought of the bloody and horrific scene he had witnessed that morning, his pride suddenly seemed less intense. He slowly took two steps forward, his knees starting to weaken, but he still couldn't help but look at Zhang Dai and ask, "Zhang Liulang, it's widely rumored at the North Gate that 30,000 strings of cash were offered to buy my life. Was that your doing?"

"You scoundrel, how dare you! You injured my brother the other day and I haven't even held you accountable yet, and now you dare to come to my door and slander me! You and your son are truly lawless!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai immediately flew into a rage and shouted, "Expel this father and son, along with their henchmen, and we shall wage a long and fierce battle until one of them is dead!"

"Wait, wait! Sixth Brother, please calm down. My son and I have come here today only to admit our mistakes and seek reconciliation. My son has spoken out of turn, please forgive us."

Wang Sixian quickly stepped in front of his son, ordered the servants who had accompanied him to step back, and then clasped his hands in greeting to Zhang Dai.

"Your son broke my brother's arms and legs, a truly heinous act. Today, you come to my door and make baseless accusations, your attitude even more arrogant. I, Wang, ask for your forgiveness with just a word. How arrogant you are!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dai sneered, "Why don't you go back and ask if Lord Huo's official power can intimidate me! Assess yourself, in what way are you better than Lord Huo? While you and your son still have time to get along, go back and teach him some principles of life. If he's not useful in this life, you can wait for the next!"

"you……"

Even though Wang Sixian's visit was to admit his mistake, upon hearing Zhang Dai's words, he was so angry that his eyes widened, and he clenched his fists for a while. After various thoughts flashed through his mind, he lowered his head and said, "My son was wrong first and deserves to be humiliated. I accept the lesson from you, Sixth Brother. I only want to ask you, Sixth Brother, how can you be so lenient?"

(End of this chapter)