Chapter 260: Rainy Season in Chang'an

Wah— Wah— Wah— Wah……

Outside the window, bean‑sized raindrops patter on the blue‑brick, black‑tiled roof, filling the night that should be silent with this simple, chaotic sound.

In a bedroom of the Huake Xianghui Tower, the Tang Emperor Li Longji is now sound asleep, while his close attendant Gao Lishi, standing by the bed, looks as if he is dozing, yet his mind is far from calm.

Gao Lishi's mind is filled with the new scheme proposed by Fang Chongyong; after several days of contemplation, Gao Lishi still dares not rashly report it to Ji Ge, merely weighing the pros and cons in his own heart.

Gao Lishi's role is actually Ji Ge's chief steward. Court officials send money and gifts to Gao Lishi, and the vast majority of those items end up in Ji Ge's hands.

The reason is simple: as the emperor's close eunuch, Gao Lishi eats whatever the emperor eats, uses whatever the emperor uses, and cannot manage his own time; what meaning is there in pocketing a little money?

Gao Lishi has neither the time nor the energy to use this wealth.

Although Ji Ge does not actively ask Gao Lishi for the gifts sent by officials, Gao Lishi each time voluntarily places them in the residence that Ji Ge has granted him, and periodically has the Treasury Director inventory and store them.

Every trivial matter passes through Gao Lishi's "filter"; Ji Ge only grabs the big pieces, and now even begins to practice lazy governance, unwilling to handle affairs!

One could say Gao Lishi is Ji Ge's "existence brain", capable of handling minor tasks continuously, but unable to manage major affairs.

For example, dealing with low‑level gift‑giving is easy for Gao Lishi. But the scheme Fang Chongyong devised is a "high‑level affair", and Gao Lishi's limited mental capacity cannot quite cope with it.

In his letter, Fang Chongyong wrote: the old method of extracting commissions from smuggled trade routes can no longer be continued. The reason is simple: the western end of the Western Regions trade routes is now controlled by Hu merchants. More than twenty states west of Congling are outside Tang's sphere, and it is normal for them to set their own prices.

Without guaranteed low prices at the source, once the goods reach Chang'an, the final cost cannot be suppressed, and the routes are easily blocked by those states.

After arriving in Chang'an, more and more powerful nobles join in as shareholders, and liquidity dwindles.

Therefore, to let the Sage extract wealth, a different approach is needed: issue the so‑called "Jiaozi", extracting money invisibly.

Let the easily printed "paper" replace silk in the Western Regions, using credit as the core to exchange for goods. In this way, wealth is taken away unseen, and no one notices.

To achieve this, the Tang army must break through the Western Regions, at least pacify the small Bolu west of Congling and some richer, undefended small states further west. These countries are mostly single‑city states with wealth highly concentrated.

Force the people of these places to use Jiaozi, while ensuring free exchange of Jiaozi.

The items obtained by "exchanging back" with Jiaozi can naturally be taken and become part of the Sage's petty treasury.

The scheme sounds marvelous, but Gao Lishi remains uncertain. He vaguely feels the device is hard to control and may cause trouble if mishandled.

However, the method of using "paper" to trade for goods is something Gao Lishi has not only heard of, but saw with his own eyes many years ago!

When the Tang forces captured the Western Regions' Kingdom of Gaochang, they discovered many square, palm‑sized "cotton cloths" printed with patterns and local script. Inquiries revealed these "cotton cloths" functioned as currency locally.

But they were more often used as promissory notes.

Fang Chongyong's "unrecorded" Jiaozi are essentially a money house issuing Jiaozi: after receiving a customer's goods, it issues an unrecorded IOU. When others use Jiaozi to trade, they merely transfer the claim from one person to another.

Whoever holds a Jiaozi represents that the money house owes them a sum.

Gao Lishi recalled that Ji Ge, to sell war bonds, went to great lengths to coerce officials into compliance, and could not help but admire Fang Chongyong's method as the true way to extract wealth invisibly.

That level is a whole tier higher!

Just as he was daydreaming, a scream suddenly rang out from the bed!

"Don't kill me! Don't kill me! It's not my fault!"

Li Longji scrambled out of bed, casually drew a small knife hidden beneath his pillow, and stood under the candlelight, aimlessly brandishing the blade. When he saw Gao Lishi's terrified face and the familiar surroundings, he flopped back onto the bed, let out a long sigh, and the knife fell from his hand.

He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, his face still trembling with shock.

"I dreamed the Crown Prince plotted rebellion..."

Ji Ge said, still shaken.

Gao Lishi initially wanted to ask, "Which Crown Prince?", but the words stuck, and he swallowed them without speaking.

The only thing that frightens Ji Ge is Li Chang.

"What is the Crown Prince doing in the Eastern Palace now?"

Ji Ge asked in a deep voice.

Sure enough, it's Prince Shou!

Gao Lishi whispered, "The Crown Prince has become decadent, spending his days in the Eastern Palace tending flowers and plants, not even reading. He avoids meeting the palace officials, it seems..."

After hesitating, Gao Lishi managed to say, "It's just idling away his days."

"Hmph! That bastard!"

Ji Ge snorted coldly, saying nothing more.

It seems Li Chang has completely given up. He knows he's merely a target set up by others, so he does nothing, not even serving as a proper bait for contention.

"After dawn, issue an edict: appoint Li Chang as Jingzhao Prefect, Prince Yong Li Lin as Chang'an County Magistrate, Prince Ying Li Jiao as Wan Nian County Magistrate, and have them all share some of my duties."

Tell the brother slaves clearly, say this is my command.

Ji Ge, with a calm expression, waved his hand and said.

"Light the lamps; I will not sleep."

Ji Ge sighed; the terrible dream had robbed him of sleep, leaving him restless and uneasy.

In the dream, Li Chang successfully staged a mutiny in Chang'an, brandishing a knife to cut flesh from the emperor himself, the pain feeling as real as flesh!

Many people dream because they have committed sins, and see vengeful ghosts demanding their lives.

But Ji Ge seems never to have had such a problem; he has never feared the dead.

Instead, threatening living people often appear in his dreams, keeping him sleepless.

Gao Lishi promptly ordered the palace eunuchs to light lamps on all four walls of the bedroom, and instantly a warm, amber glow filled the modestly sized room.

"Sage, Fang Guozhong has a matter to report; it's all written in the memorial."

"I have read it; I roughly understand, but the intricacies require your judgment, Sage."

Gao Lishi, with a deferential bow, pulled the memorial from his chest and handed it to Ji Ge for perusal.

"Open a money house to issue Jiaozi, and I will reap the dividends..."

After reading the memorial sent by Fang Chongyong's envoy, Ji Ge muttered to himself, pondering what benefit this would bring to him and the state.

He still hasn't grasped the advantage of using paper instead of silk for circulation, but the phrase "low‑interest loans" he understood.

Isn't that just a disguised way of printing money? All the fancy talk boils down to that!

Brother Ji suddenly understood, realizing where his "dividends" came from—they came from the interest on loans!

Of course, Fang Chongyong's original words were: "Nowadays, interest rates on private lending are extremely high, and lawless merchants, often under the cover of powerful nobles, ruin countless common families through usury. Would it not be a demonstration of the Sage's grace if His Holiness opened a money shop to lend at low interest for the benefit of the people, and drove those usurers to their deaths?"

If someone wanted to sabotage the Jiaozi money shop's lending.

They would use land as collateral, borrow at low interest, then lend to the common people at high interest, hoping to drain the Jiaozi money shop's cash flow. In that case... Fang Chongyong would be only too happy to see it happen.

No matter how deep the pockets of those patsies, or how much "collateral" they could provide in vast quantities, the money shop could fire up a nuclear-powered printing press and fill in the deficit. As long as the Jiaozi's anti-counterfeiting technology could not be cracked, this game was a guaranteed win!

"Guozhong has the talent of a chief minister; Genu is no match for him."

After reading the memorial, Brother Ji let out a long sigh and spoke.

In his letter, Fang Chongyong proposed the concept of "establishing authority through trust, and safeguarding trust through authority"—promoting the Jiaozi required the protection of the military and the law.

Following the Tang army's footsteps in the Western Regions, the Jiaozi would be rolled out, and based on the geographical characteristics of the Western Regions, a policy of "one shop per state" would be implemented.

Wherever the Tang army went, the existing hard currency would be collected into the Jiaozi money shop, with a portion transported back to Chang'an, while the locals would be forced to exchange for and circulate Jiaozi. Once fully rolled out, the Jiaozi could then circulate and be freely exchanged in the various Western Region prefectures centered on Liangzhou.

Once the Jiaozi's credit was established, nationwide circulation could be put on the agenda, rolling out Jiaozi money shops in Chang'an, Luoyang, Chengdu, Yangzhou, and other places.

Then the lending business could be launched.

In short, the Tang army's expedition to the Western Regions and the conquest of Little Bolü was something that absolutely had to be done, and it was also a necessary condition for making the Western Region Hu merchants accept the Jiaozi.

Once the Hu merchants started using the Jiaozi, wherever the Tang had Hu merchants, there would surely be Jiaozi. Rolling out Jiaozi shops at that point would then be a natural progression.

Once the Jiaozi money shops were rolled out, the business of lending and collecting loans could proceed.

All of this was linked, one ring fastened to the next.

No one would hand over real gold and silver for no reason, exchanging it for a piece of paper. Before the habit formed, such things had to be enforced by law and the military. Once credit was established and users developed inertia, matters would no longer be difficult.

The truly troublesome part was the first step.

In fact, Fang Chongyong had drawn on the experience of the Great Yuan.

The Great Yuan had made thorough preparations for issuing paper currency, and even introduced the concept of "specie reserves." Because of the adequate preparations and military protection, the Great Yuan's paper currency lasted a full thirty years before collapsing.

The Great Ming, which did not adopt the "specie reserve" system, saw its precious notes rapidly depreciate, becoming virtually worthless paper in the later period.

Brother Ji repeatedly pondered Fang Chongyong's plan—it was an interlocking chain spanning military affairs, fiscal policy, and the economy.

The so-called Jiaozi money shop was in essence a state-run money shop. This was no longer a small-scale operation; it had risen to the level of national policy.

This part could perhaps be put on hold for now, letting the Hexi side try it out first—there was no rush to roll it out in Chang'an right away.

But he felt that sending troops to attack Little Bolü was extremely interesting! This matter could not only be done, it should be done swiftly!

Now that Brother Ji was getting older, he knew his remaining days were few. So he now preferred to watch dazzling fireworks, and no longer cared to manage the empire.

"Appoint Fang Guozhong as Grand Envoy for the Pacification of the Western Regions. Aside from Hexi, the troops and horses of the Four Anxi Garrisons shall also come under his command, to assist him in the campaign against Greater and Lesser Bolü and the twenty Western Region states.

As for the Jiaozi money shop he spoke of. Didn't I raise some military funds by issuing bonds a while ago? Transport one million bolts of silk to Liangzhou—consider it my capital investment.

Give the money to him. Fighting wars will use this money, rewarding the three armies will use this, issuing Jiaozi will use this—let him figure it out himself."

Brother Ji waved his hand with some weariness and spoke. His energy was flagging; after just a bit of mental effort, his body felt heavy and his head swam.

"Your Holiness, does this matter need to be discussed with the Left and Right Ministers?"

Gao Lishi asked softly.

"No need. Those silk bolts came from the war bonds issued—they are guaranteed by my own credibility. Why should I still need the chief ministers' approval? Am I the Son of Heaven, or are Genu and the others the Son of Heaven?"

Brother Ji demanded with a displeased expression.

Gao Lishi hastily knelt down to beg forgiveness.

"However, you should still mention it to Genu—that attacking Little Bolü is my intention. The Four Anxi Garrisons have no shortage of elite soldiers and fierce generals. Fang Guozhong may be named Grand Envoy for the Pacification of the Western Regions, but when it comes to actual fighting, it won't depend on him."

Brother Ji explained patiently.

Appointing an official as young as Fang Chongyong as Grand Envoy for the Pacification of the Western Regions did seem somewhat frivolous. But an emperor appointing a trusted confidant to this post was not frivolous at all. What Brother Ji worried about was this: the Tang army's commander-in-chief in the Western Regions joining forces with local states and declaring himself king.

The duties of the Grand Envoy for the Pacification of the Western Regions were actually somewhat similar to the Qing Dynasty's governor system. It was the supreme direct official air-dropped from the imperial court to the locality, and did not interfere with ordinary affairs. For instance, the Grand Envoy for the Pacification of the Western Regions would not interfere with how the Four Anxi Garrisons recruited soldiers or how they trained.

A "Grand Envoy for the Pacification of such-and-such" typically came with a specific mission, descended from the Northern Qi's Field Secretariat system, and carried a strong aggressive character—generally established for the purpose of conquering a certain region.

The Military Commissioner, by contrast, was clearly the military head of frontier defense, with a very strong connotation of holding and defending a single position.

Appointments like the Grand Envoy for the Pacification had already become rare by the late Kaiyuan era and the Tianbao period.

"This slave will go and convey the order at once."

Gao Lishi accepted the order and turned to leave, but was caught by Brother Ji tugging his sleeve.

"No rush, not for this moment."

He gestured for Gao Lishi to sit across from him, then lowered his voice and asked: "I have heard that the Crown Princess Du is keeping male favorites and behaving wantonly—is there truth to this?"

Hearing this, Gao Lishi was taken aback, then nodded with an awkward expression, playing dumb while understanding perfectly: "The Crown Prince now shuns female company. What Madam Du means by carrying on like this, this slave has not been able to figure out either."

"Hmph, they merely want to disembark, that's all. They can see that I intend to deal with Li Chang, and want to keep their distance from the Crown Prince.

The Du family doesn't lack women. What does it matter if one loose woman dies?"

Brother Ji could not help but snort coldly. The Du family had calculated everything with perfect clarity. Once the affair inside the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace came to light, Madam Du's reputation would certainly be ruined, and she might even be subjected to the extreme penalty.

But their family would have thoroughly drawn a clear line from Li Chang, and would not face retribution in the future.

Brother Ji had deliberately suppressed this matter; not many people in Chang'an should know of it at present.

"Tell Genu to find a pretext and exile the Du family to Lingnan. Then promote Madam Du herself from Noble Consort to Primary Consort. Li Chang can't stand the sight of her, can he? I will make him see this woman every single day.

As for that male favorite... castrate him and send him to Luoyang Palace to sweep floors until he's old."

Brother Ji said dismissively, a few words deciding the fate of an entire group of people.

The one keeping male favorites was guiltless, the family pulling strings behind the scenes was guilty, and the male favorite would be castrated and left to grow old alone in the palace... this series of maneuvers by Brother Ji left Gao Lishi speechless.

This Sage of Chang'an was becoming increasingly difficult to fathom. He now seemed very unwilling to see others' schemes succeed—whatever certain people wanted, he simply refused to give them.

"Understood. This slave will go and convey the order at first light."

Gao Lishi clasped his hands in salute and spoke softly.

It's the last day of this month, the last day of this year—cast your votes!

(This chapter ends)