Chapter 255: Don't Panic, It's Just a Technical Adjustment

"All of you, line up! There's plenty of silk in the treasury! Don't break the rules!

Jiedushi Fang sympathizes with the soldiers and puts himself in your shoes. Can't you behave yourselves? Someone treats you a little well and you get carried away?"

He Changqi, beside Fang Chongyong, loudly berated the Chishui Army soldiers lined up in front of the government office, who had come to exchange their "Western Region valuables."

Thus the slightly restless queue immediately fell quiet. Human hearts are made of flesh; these soldiers knew perfectly well who treated them well and who didn't.

Many in the Chishui Army knew who Fang Chongyong was, and they were naturally overwhelmed with gratitude toward this newly appointed Jiedushi Fang for being willing to use silk to "purchase" their unsellable Western Region goods.

Every soldier who walked out of the Hexi Jiedushi's government office, arms full of silk, wore a look of lingering fear. Upon seeing Fang Chongyong, they would bow and scrape in salute.

In Fang Chongyong's eyes, these men were just like veteran stockholders from his previous life who had been trapped for years in A-shares, and because of an occasional "technical adjustment," managed to offload their shares at break-even—when they'd have been better off just putting their money in the bank.

Harboring complex emotions—resentment, relief, lingering fear, gratitude—impossible to fully express in a few words.

Although Fang Chongyong had written to Brother Ji requesting that the army under the Hexi Jiedushi swap soldiers one-for-one with the Long March veterans of Hedong, Shuofang, and other regions—fair and square with neither side losing out—due to the enormous workload of relocation, only twenty thousand could be exchanged in the short term.

The remaining fifty thousand-plus in Hexi would need several more years to be fully rotated out. It was also possible that to maintain combat readiness, a small portion simply wouldn't be swapped!

It was absolutely necessary to first resolve the worries of these soldiers about to be rotated, and it also set a fine example for the other Hexi troops who were not yet being rotated.

Soldiers only ever see how much money the Jiedushi has handed out, never how much remains in his purse. So even though the silk in the Hexi treasury wasn't exactly piled mountain-high, Fang Chongyong still chose to grit his teeth and tackle the most urgent problem first.

At all times, credibility comes first! Especially credibility with the grassroots!

Just then, a middle-aged civil official in a green robe, with a short beard and a somewhat frail appearance, came before Fang Chongyong, clasped his hands in salute, and said: "Greetings, Jiedushi Fang. I am Ma Daifeng, a Director under the Court of the Imperial Treasury's Weaving and Dyeing Bureau. Dispatched by the imperial court to Hexi to carry out your instructions."

This middle-aged civil official spoke modestly, keeping a very low profile.

"Ah! So it's you—the world-renowned number one craftsman of Chang'an!"

Fang Chongyong was overjoyed and hastily grasped the man's hands with both of his own!

He had only written to Brother Ji asking for someone to help out, and Brother Ji had actually sent his favorite master craftsman! It seemed that whenever it came to making money, Brother Ji's efficiency was absolutely reliable.

"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare—those are empty titles. Please don't speak of 'number one craftsman of Chang'an' again, Jiedushi Fang. I am unworthy of such praise."

Ma Daifeng hastily covered his face and bowed, not daring to claim credit or act proudly.

As a Ministry of Works official frequently summoned to the palace to work, he naturally knew why the emperor had dispatched him to Hexi. In other words, how many people could bear such an enormous favor from the Son of Heaven?

A Jiedushi of Hexi this young—aside from a member of the imperial clan holding the title in absentia, was there anyone else in all of Great Tang?

There wasn't, was there.

To serve at the emperor's side, Ma Daifeng's emotional intelligence was not low. Being a genius inventor was merely his hobby; his main profession was being an official!

How formidable Fang Chongyong's backing was, Ma Daifeng understood clearly in his heart.

"Good, good, good. I happen to have an important matter to discuss with Director Ma. Come, come, come—let's go to the government office and talk in detail, and welcome you with a feast at the same time!"

Fang Chongyong pulled Ma Daifeng along and headed inside the Jiedushi's government office.

Before long, the two were seated in the Jiedushi's study. Fang Chongyong brought out the local specialty Wuwei white wine, had someone bring a few plates of cold dishes, and chatted with Ma Daifeng over food and drink in the study.

"How long has Director Ma been serving as an official in Chang'an? Is this your first time leaving Chang'an on official business?"

Fang Chongyong poured Ma Daifeng a cup of wine and asked casually.

"To answer Jiedushi Fang, I've been an official for over twenty years now, and I've been in Chang'an since the tenth year of Kaiyuan. I'm just someone who makes little trinkets by the Sage's side—hardly fit for refined company. I can't compare to those proper directors of pure pedigree."

Ma Daifeng sighed softly and said.

In truth, his directorship was merely a nominal title attached to the Ministry of Works. His real substantive duty was making imperial items for Brother Ji inside the palace.

From the concubines' dressing tables to Brother Ji's imperial carriage;

From new-style south-pointing chariots to automatic hair-combing robots (a hair-combing version of the Wooden Ox and Flowing Horse).

All were his inventions.

These were all things Fang Chongyong already knew, and as for what he didn't know, there was even more. The directorship was simply to facilitate Ma Daifeng's work at the Ministry of Works and make it convenient to allocate various resources.

Even a prime minister's gatekeeper ranks as a seventh-grade official—how could a craftsman working for the emperor be left a commoner, to be pushed around and mocked by outsiders?

Simply put, Ma Daifeng was a master craftsman wearing an official title, entirely detached from politics. He took orders from Brother Ji alone, and when there was nothing to do, he tinkered with small inventions.

"Come now, Director Ma, there's no need to be so modest. The fact that you've come to Hexi shows the Sage values you.

It's just that I have a question in mind that I can't seem to solve, and I wonder whether Director Ma might have a few words to say on the matter."

Fang Chongyong pulled a piece of paper from his robe and handed it to Ma Daifeng. It was a "flying cash" note issued by a money shop belonging to the Wang brothers of Chang'an.

Fang Chongyong himself, with the token given by the money shop, a token proving his identity, and this flying cash voucher, could redeem one hundred bolts of Shu brocade at any money shop under the Wang brothers in Chang'an.

After redemption, the flying cash would be destroyed on the spot.

"Has Director Ma seen anything like this before?"

Fang Chongyong asked without batting an eye.

"Yes, this is flying cash. It's not uncommon in Chang'an, especially among the great merchants from the Jianghuai region who travel to and from Chang'an—quite a few use this."

Ma Daifeng nodded slightly and said.

"I've tested it. The paper used for flying cash is nothing special—it wears out after a few uses.

But that doesn't matter much. After all, a merchant issues flying cash at a money shop in one place, collects goods at another, and destroys the flying cash on the spot. There's no need to pass it around—just carry it on your person, so there's no issue of it wearing out."

Fang Chongyong laughed heartily.

Flying cash had strict time limits; once the deadline passed, it could no longer be redeemed, and one had to return to the original money shop where the goods were deposited. This was the prototype of the "drafts" from Fang Chongyong's previous life.

Demand dictates technology. Since flying cash didn't need to circulate widely, the merchants issuing it had no reason to take the anti-counterfeiting measures, paper, or ink seriously!

To withdraw money with this thing, you needed a token. The money shop's manager would even ask about certain characteristics of the goods. Flying cash was mostly used "business-to-business"—destroyed after a single use. There was no point for outsiders to copy it, so naturally there was no need for high-level anti-counterfeiting technology.

So it was more of a conceptual innovation than a technological breakthrough, and it had significant limitations in use.

"However, in Director Ma's view, is there a kind of paper that is highly resilient, very wear-resistant, and not easily stained by oil?

One that, even passing through many hands back and forth, wouldn't be damaged within a year or two?"

Fang Chongyong asked softly.

"This kind of paper must be very wear-resistant, tough and not easily penetrated, and also not easily torn, right?"

Ma Daifeng was a technical expert—he grasped the key points of Fang Chongyong's requirements the moment he heard them.

"Right!"

Fang Chongyong clapped his hands and laughed loudly, "Ma Langzhong, your insight is truly blazing!"

"Um… May I ask one more question?"

Ma Daifeng asked hesitantly.

"Ma Langzhong, feel free."

Fang Chongyong smiled, clearly in a great mood.

"Fang Jiedushi, why do you need this kind of paper?"

Ma Daifeng asked with a puzzled expression.

In fact, the Tang's papermaking industry is now highly advanced; any demanded paper can be bought in Chang'an.

Not only writing and printing paper, even toilet paper comes in countless categorized varieties, truly a kaleidoscope of types.

Toilet paper can be further divided into many types according to its softness or hardness.

The softer it is, the more expensive!

It is worth noting that Tang nobles, before wiping after using the toilet, often let their servants test the paper's "softness/hardness" first, fully demonstrating what is called a "privileged society."

Tang law explicitly regulated toilet use: "One must always have a toilet roll, not to be missing," and it specifically emphasized: "Do not use written paper."

In short, nobles and the rich are entitled to use paper (though only implied), while the poor must use toilet rolls. No one may wipe with paper that has characters on it.

It is also worth noting that some scholars, attaching themselves to elegance, consider the Four Treasures of the Study sacred and noble; using paper to wipe is a disgrace to culture, so they insist on not using paper for that purpose.

But Ma Daifeng did not understand why Fang Chongyong needed such paper.

If there were a genuine social need, this paper would already be a street commodity; a quick turn around the western market of Chang'an would satisfy the demand. Because this "durable paper" has no practical use, Fang Chongyong "seeks but cannot obtain" and thus asks him.

Ma Daifeng asked purely from a "tech enthusiast" standpoint, expecting Fang Chongyong to speak casually. Unexpectedly, the newly appointed He Xi Jiedushi deliberately walked to the study doorway and locked the door from the inside.

Then he sat at the desk, pulled a wooden board from his sleeve, and handed it to Ma Daifeng for inspection.

While the other examined the board, Fang Chongyong said in a deep voice:

"I want to create something called Jiaozi, to replace heavy copper coins and bulky silk."

For example, open a money shop near the Liangzhou Prefectural Office; the treasury holds a piece of silk, and we issue Jiaozi worth one silk externally.

If someone holds Jiaozi, they can freely exchange it for silk at relevant money shops in Liangzhou.

Furthermore, if this spreads throughout Hexi, I would have the five prefectures of Hexi open money shops, from the easternmost Liangzhou to the westernmost Shazhou. Each prefecture stores silk in its treasury, allowing local money shops to exchange Jiaozi for silk.

In this way, users of Jiaozi would save huge silk transportation costs, wouldn't they?

In Ma Langzhong's hand was the woodblock for printing Jiaozi. Now everything is ready except a favorable wind; this Jiedushi wants to know what kind of paper can withstand the wear and tear of Hexi.

"Can this paper also be used as money?"

Hearing Fang Chongyong's proposal, Ma Daifeng's feeling can be summed up as "confusing yet impressive!"

However, he vaguely thought that in the bustling trade of Hexi, this scheme seemed fine. As long as the "store one silk, issue one silk Jiaozi" rule is strictly controlled, nothing would go wrong.

Carrying light Jiaozi saves a lot on freight. For merchants traveling from Shazhou to Liangzhou, this is extremely convenient!

"Fang Jiedushi, this is just my personal opinion, ha, I can't guarantee it's problem‑free."

After saying that, he saw Fang Chongyong nod eagerly, and Ma Daifeng cleared his throat lightly and continued:

"The offices of Chengdu Prefecture and other counties use different paper than elsewhere. In the Chuan‑Yu region, they prefer making paper from the paper mulberry tree without adding other woods."

They use mulberry bark for paper and mulberry wood for charcoal, making full use of the material.

Paper made from mulberry generally falls into four categories.

Wide sheets without white powder are called Jia Shan Nan;

Narrow sheets coated with white‑powder paste and then polished (stone‑ground) to a white finish are called Jia Rong;

Those made in Ran Village, washed with clear stream water, yielding pure white paper, are called Ran Village;

Those made in Longxi Township, light, fine and flexible, are called Zhu Si.

Among them, Zhu Si is the best; the paper is thin yet sturdy, often used by the government for writing documents. I have used mulberry paper in the palace before, so I know it well.

This could be useful for you, Fang Jiedushi.

Ma Daifeng saluted Fang Chongyong with a hand‑crossed bow and said:

"Alright, alright! Then we'll use Zhu Si paper!"

Fang Chongyong sprang up, extremely excited.

Sure enough, a single person building a carriage behind closed doors won't work; for professional tasks, you still need professionals.

Afterwards, Fang Chongyong personally arranged a well‑located residence in Liangzhou City for Ma Daifeng, then went to the prefectural office and fetched Yang Yan, who was accompanying him to Liangzhou, and the two discussed the major matter of issuing Jiaozi.

……

In the small courtyard where Yang Yan lives, he was in his study reporting to Fang Chongyong on the preparations for issuing Jiaozi.

"Fang Jiedushi, in the Liangzhou treasury, because we exchanged with the Chishui Army soldiers…"

"It looks indeed a large amount, but over forty thousand pieces are for transit, destined for the Anxi Protectorate as winter clothing. In reality, the usable silk is less than sixty thousand."

"There are also some scattered Western Region silver coins, gold coins, Kaiyuan Tongbao, etc."

Yang Yan said anxiously to Fang Chongyong.

"However, now everyone in Hexi knows that the Liangzhou treasury isn't short of money, right? The valuable goods from the Western Regions can also be exchanged for cash."

Fang Chongyong gave a mysterious smile and said.

Hearing this, Yang Yan was slightly startled, then nodded without objection.

Even though he is skilled in calculation and has a deep understanding of 'money,' he couldn't help admiring Fang Chongyong's boldness and sharp insight!

Paper is money, can replace cash; issuing a Jiaozi of one‑silk denomination for each piece of silk is indeed brilliant. Those who don't understand money can't even see the epoch‑making significance here!

Recently, Fang Chongyong openly opened the treasury, allowing the Chishui Army and other Hexi frontline soldiers to "freely exchange" silk, which was a confidence‑building process.

Now everyone in Hexi believes the Jiedushi's office is not short of silk, so the resistance to issuing Jiaozi will be far less than others anticipate.

First steady the soldiers' hearts, then steady the overall situation; Fang Chongyong's move looks brainless, looks brainless and infinitely caring for the soldiers, but in fact it's a marvelous case of killing two birds with one stone!

It rivals Lord Shang's erecting a log at the gate!

"With 100,000 bolts of silk as a base, issuing 200,000 bolts' worth of exchange notes in the future will be a breeze. Of course, this is only the first step; there are more operations to come, step by step."

Fang Chongyong waved his hand indifferently and said.

The treasury holds 100,000 bolts of silk; if only 100,000 exchange notes were issued, they would still be metallic currency, which is meaningless to Fang Chongyong.

And with 100,000 bolts of silk as capital, issuing 200,000 exchange notes, the extra 100,000 exchange notes constitute credit money. Simply put, it's using the credit of the Great Tang government, also called 'future expectations', to guarantee the redemption of the exchange notes.

Otherwise, how could any central bank in any era fear a run? Because the issued paper money is always more than the hard currency in the vault!

All central banks issue paper money using credit, using the nation's future expectations as collateral.

As long as the Great Tang remains prosperous, this tactic never fails. As for if the Great Tang falls into chaos later, we'll have to wait and see; by then, it's still questionable whether Fang Chongyong will still be the West River Military Governor!

"Then... I'll first issue exchange notes backed by 100,000 bolts of silk to test the waters."

Yang Yan nodded slightly and said.

"Hmm, take small steps, move fast. Each move shouldn't be too big; open the money shops one by one, in the West River Five Prefectures, at least each prefectural capital should have one."

Fang Chongyong specially instructed Yang Yan on some details of issuing exchange notes. The matter of purchasing mulberry paper from Chengdu Prefecture also needs to be scheduled. This kind of mulberry paper must also have 'some additives' to distinguish it from other mulberry paper.

Fang Chongyong's vision is grand, with interlocking parts. However, in opening money shops in West River, the operating rights are his, but the shareholding belongs to Ji Ge. The bulk of the lending business still has to give Ji Ge pocket money.

Although he had become the West River Military Governor, Fang Chongyong felt no sense of holding great power, still thinking of himself merely as a pitiful 'worker'.

Nowadays, besides Ji Ge, who isn't a dog?

Going home to rest is great, but I can only do voice-to-text.

(End of chapter)