Da Ming: The system granted me immortality; I clock in every day.

Gu Yannian bowed again to take his leave, then turned and walked out of the warm pavilion.

A cold wind, mixed with snowflakes, swept over my face.

He boarded the carriage for the return journey, listening to the crunching sound of the wheels rolling over the snow.

The carriage was dimly lit, and Gu Yannian's mind was as calm as the winter night sky.

The promotion of sweet potatoes will inevitably lead to an explosive growth in the population of the Ming Dynasty.

This vast empire, whose tracks he had personally set in motion, was growing wildly and vibrantly in a way he had never seen before in his past life.

But he has no intention of becoming the helmsman who stands on high and directs the world.

He preferred to sit in this dark corner and be a leisurely spectator.

The carriage stopped in front of the courtyard in Xuanwu Ward.

Gu Yannian pushed open the courtyard gate, and the old jujube tree stood quietly in the wind and snow.

He went inside and lit a solitary lamp.

The fire in the stove was lit, and the tea gradually boiled.

In the long, dark night, only this cup of tea accompanied him through the endless years.

……

The spring breeze of the fourth year of the Hongxi reign was more gentle than in previous years.

On the moat outside Shuntian Prefecture, the solid ice shattered, turning into a pool of spring water that reflected the majestic Forbidden City.

The forsythia at the foot of the city wall is in full bloom, clusters of bright yellow swaying in the wind, attracting bees and butterflies in early spring.

The pair of large stone lions in front of the Ministry of Revenue were kept spotless by the night watchmen.

As dawn broke, officials from various departments filed in, each with a hurried pace.

At exactly 5:00 AM, the deep, resonant sound of the morning drum echoed from the gate tower of the imperial city.

Gu Yannian was dressed in a scarlet official robe of the third rank, with a peacock patch on his chest embroidered in gold thread, which was lifelike.

He stepped over the high threshold and entered the duty room reserved for the Right Vice Minister.

Inside, charcoal had already been lit to ward off the cold, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere, while a pot of daffodils on the table was exuding fragrance.

He sat down behind the table and began to mark the names on the register.

[Ding! Today's attendance complete. Attribute point gained +1.]

"Add to the spirit."

Gu Yannian's thoughts raced.

In an instant, a cool sensation, like a clear spring, flowed from my mind and quickly spread throughout my body.

He picked up the freshly brewed pre-Qingming Longjing tea from the table, skimmed off the foam, and took a small sip.

The aroma of tea is refreshing and invigorating.

"Minister Gu, my hair has turned even whiter these past few days!"

The heavy curtain of the duty room was suddenly lifted, and Xia Yuanji, the Minister of Revenue, strode in.

The old minister was not wearing his official hat today, but only had his hair tied up in a Taoist bun.

He clutched a thick stack of official gazettes in his hand, his face etched with deep sorrow.

Gu Yannian put down his teacup and gently offered him a seat.

"Why do you say that, Minister Xia? Under Kuang Zhong's management, the salt fields of Lianghuai are now thriving; and Eunuch Zheng's treasure ships are continuously bringing back gold and silver from the Western Ocean."

"This is probably the most prosperous year since the founding of the Ming Dynasty. The Minister should have nothing to worry about."

Xia Yuanji sat heavily on the guest chair, slammed the official gazette on the table, and sighed repeatedly.

"The granary is indeed piled high with silver ingots, but things in this world are strangely complicated by these silver ingots! Just look at the memorials sent by the governors of various provinces."

Gu Yannian reached out and took the official gazette, scanning it quickly.

A strange thing has been happening in the markets of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Guangdong, Guangxi, and even the Central Plains region recently.

Despite it being a year of good weather and abundant harvests, the sweet potatoes promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture began to take root and sprout in the dry land.

A bountiful year is just around the corner.

However, the prices of grain and cloth in the local markets, if purchased with copper coins, have increased by 30% to 40% compared to previous years.

Ordinary people mostly had copper coins in their hands. The money that could buy a peck of rice in the past could not even buy half a peck now.

On the contrary, those wealthy merchants who held silver in their hands lived increasingly comfortable lives.

There were even instances of shops refusing to accept Ming Dynasty banknotes and copper coins, only accepting silver.

"Money is cheap and goods are expensive, causing widespread public discontent."

Xia Yuanji was heartbroken.

"I originally thought that with silver in the national treasury, we could achieve great things. Who would have thought that so much silver would be brought back from these foreign lands that it has squeezed out the copper coins passed down from our ancestors, rendering them worthless!"

"If things continue like this, won't those ordinary people who live on a few copper coins a day starve to death even in years of plenty?"

Gu Yannian's expression was calm as his slender fingers gently caressed the edge of the sandalwood abacus.

He saw this situation clearly.

In the early Ming Dynasty, the main forms of currency were copper coins and paper money, while silver was scarce.

Now, Emperor Hongxi listened to his advice and reopened the sea ban, turning the tribute system into open trade.

Zheng He's fleet sailed the seas carrying exquisite porcelain and silk, and returned with mountains of silver.

The sudden influx of foreign currencies would naturally overwhelm the already fragile copper standard.

The devaluation of copper coins held by ordinary people and the soaring of prices are inevitable.

However, he did not reveal these profound principles of governance to others, lest they arouse unnecessary suspicion.

Just as I was pondering this, I heard a commotion outside the door.

"Minister Wang, this memorial is the result of my painstaking research and visits to the thirteen counties surrounding the capital. It concerns the root cause of the people's financial shortage. I humbly request that you forward it to the Minister!"

A clear yet somewhat stubborn young voice rang out in the courtyard.

"Absurd! You, a mere department head, dare to criticize the imperial currency system! What nonsense about silver causing political chaos! Step down!"

Another voice sounded rather impatient; it belonged to Wang Zuo, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.

Xia Yuanji frowned slightly, about to get up and go out to stop him, but Gu Yannian had already stood up first.

"Minister Xia, please have a seat. I will go and take a look."

Gu Yannian lifted the curtain and stepped out, standing under the eaves.

In the courtyard, the Left Vice Minister Wang Zuo was angrily turning away, while a man in his thirties, dressed in a sixth-rank blue robe, stood below the steps.

This person had a thin and gaunt appearance with slightly sunken eyes, clearly indicating that he had been staying up for several nights in a row.

He clutched a file tightly in his hand, but his eyes burned with an indomitable flame.

"Who is in the hall?"

Gu Yannian spoke in a calm tone, yet his demeanor exuded an air of authority without anger.

The young official looked up at the sound of the voice and saw that it was Gu Yannian, the Right Vice Minister. He quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply.

"Zhou Chen, the junior official of the Jiangxi Provincial Department of Revenue, pays his respects to Vice Minister Gu."

Zhou Chen.

A glimmer of light flashed in Gu Yannian's usually calm eyes.

This is a figure who will leave a significant mark on history.

Zhou Chen, who served as governor of Jiangnan, quelled long-standing tax malpractices and was a renowned financial official comparable to Xia Yuanji.

Unexpectedly, in the fourth year of the Hongxi reign, he was still an insignificant clerk in the Ministry of Revenue.

"What is the reason for the chaos caused by silver that you just mentioned? Please present your report." Gu Yannian stretched out his hand.

Zhou Chen was overjoyed and handed over the crumpled file with both hands.

"Your Excellency is wise. A month ago, I was ordered to investigate the markets around the capital and discovered that wherever maritime merchants frequented, rice prices invariably rose. Upon further investigation, I learned that those merchants held large amounts of loose silver coins earned from their voyages."

"They spared no expense in hoarding supplies, rendering copper coins practically worthless. If this continues, and the court does not bring silver under its own control and standardize its use, the Ming Dynasty's monetary system will inevitably collapse!"

Gu Yannian opened the file and saw that it was filled with densely packed lists of rice and cloth price changes in various counties.

Although the handwriting appears messy, it is well-organized and hits the nail on the head regarding current problems.

Zhou Chen is indeed a pragmatic genius.