Chapter 485

Andi thought this was simply a genius idea, although he didn't know why a Prince of the Empire would tell him this "evil" knowledge.

However, after thinking about it, he was not so confused.

A small principality can be divided into two forces, the northern vassals and Grand Duke Edward, let alone an empire whose territory spans the Vast Ocean?

Not all nobles of the Empire will stand at the height of Saint Xisi to overlook the overall situation.

Perhaps in Prince Kelin's view, the Principality of Campbell has hope of nurturing a future that the New World does not have.

Perhaps the people there also long to get rid of the control of the Holy City and master their own destiny.

But the weak them are unwilling to fire this first shot themselves, so they choose to let this gun drift across the ocean to the Principality of Campbell, which is separated from the Kelin Principality by two oceans.

Of course, maybe he just thought too much.

Perhaps things are not so complicated, Prince Kelin just has deep affection for Her Highness Ailin, so he takes care of them out of love for the house and its crow.

This speculation is also reasonable.

After all, a small principality, even if it jumps out of the Imperial framework in a different way, what kind of waves can it make?

This is ultimately a world belonging to transcendents, and transcendents are destined to be born only in noble families that are expected by the public.

Even the Andi family, which sits on huge wealth, just longs to share a bowl of soup from the old nobles, and has not thought about truly sitting at the table.

After collecting thousands of thoughts, only one core confusion remained in Andi's heart.

"Why is it Silver Pound, not Gold Pound?"

They are clearly short of gold coins.

"Because it can only be Silver Pound."

Looking at the confused Andi, Luo Yan explained patiently.

"The Principality of Campbell does not have the power to mint gold coins. That is the privilege of the Empire. Everyone knows that you cannot take out so many gold coins, and there is no such gold."

"On the contrary, Grand Duke Edward has the right to mint silver coins and can openly provide a bottom line for this decision."

"Your way out is to establish a 'silver standard' currency system, and after passing the pain period of asset re-pricing, form a check and balance with the Empire's gold standard."

Forcing a "voucher" to maintain the gold standard when gold is scarce is undoubtedly equivalent to suicide.

Not to mention that the ultimate goal of the Campbell people is not to maintain the exchange rate between gold coins and silver coins for the Empire, but to decouple from the Empire's currency system and form their own sovereign currency.

The future Silver Pound will not maintain a 1:1 exchange with the Empire's silver coins, but only a 1:1 exchange with the silver coins minted by the Campbell royal family.

After all, the fineness of silver coins minted by various kingdoms is originally a thing that is more random than the fineness of gold coins.

Letting Campbell's pure silver coins exchange for the Kingdom of Laine's "iron pieces" is equivalent to publicly playing the rogue.

Those silver coins "printed with all kinds of royal family crests" are destined to withdraw from the stage of history, and the Campbell people just saw this day in advance.

As for the depreciation of silver coins and copper coins, the problem is not the depreciation itself, but the copper coins linked to people's livelihood are depreciating too fast.

As long as more liquidity is released on the "Silver Pound" and it truly becomes the mainstream currency used by Lei Ming City citizens for daily transactions, it can curb the ongoing depreciation of copper coins, re-form an actual exchange rate of 100:1 with the Silver Pound, and become the latter's auxiliary currency.

As for gold coins, let them rise.

Just like the stocks of Kelin Group, ordinary people don't use that thing.

Liquidity contraction just withdraws from circulation and completely becomes a tool for "store of value," and Lei Ming City, where productivity is developing rapidly, indeed needs such a thing.

In addition, the copper coin minting power in the hands of various vassals must be taken back. Anything that is divided and sealed below is a bad habit of the feudal era.

It's just that this matter is useless to talk to Andi with his energy, that is something Grand Duke Edward has the ability to do.

Andi fell into thought.

With the success of stocks and bonds as a foreshadowing, even if he didn't realize for the time being that he was challenging the sovereignty of the Empire, he also realized the huge benefits of "Silver Pound."

Now only some details are left.

He needs the experience of someone who has been there!

And Prince Kelin from the rich and prosperous Janna Continent is clearly someone who has seen this kind of thing!

"But who will recognize it? And how to prevent counterfeiting?" Andi asked with bright eyes.

Luo Yan smiled slightly, as if he had expected him to ask this.

"Credit is your best guarantee."

"As for anti-counterfeiting…"

He stretched out his index finger and drew a complex rune on the mahogany table in front of him at will. The rune flashed and disappeared, leaving a faint burn mark.

"We only need to use alchemy to prepare anti-counterfeiting ink that mortals cannot copy, which can at least solve 40% of the problems."

"Then… what about the remaining 60%?" Yang Andi asked.

"Of course, it is solved in the transaction link."

Luo Yan's tone was as relaxed as talking about the weather, and he continued to smile.

"Just like the stocks we issued before, all transactions will leave traces in our account books, and the transfer of funds between accounts is naturally the same. We can roughly figure out who this money belongs to and how it came… This work can be separated from the bank and a specialized bank regulatory department can be established."

Andi held his breath, couldn't help but clench his fists, and those shining eyes were like seeing a gold mine.

Luo Yan remembered that the last time he showed such an excited expression was when he saw the diamond in his hand and realized he still had a lot.

Obviously, this Mr. Andi is a person who knows goods.

Luo Yan was also not stingy with his advice, talking eloquently and teaching him the second half of the secret book.

"After having a regulatory department, we can integrate the resources between banks and banks. As long as the barriers between banks are broken, we can fully allow our customers to conduct 'card swiping' transactions while recording transactions."

This part is not entirely the experience he copied from Earth, but something that the Demon Capital of Hell originally had.

However, the Demon Capital is different. The banks in the Demon Capital are the assets of the temple, so there is no problem of anti-counterfeiting and supervision.

Hell has hell's problems.

"After you have accumulated enough experience, you can bring this system to various city-states on the northeast coast of the Vortex Sea through your banks. If your Grand Duke is ambitious enough to get the Twilight Province from the Kingdom of Laine, it is not impossible to promote it to the kingdoms on land."

"Of course, this is just my own opinion, I hope my throwing bricks and attracting jade can bring you inspiration to solve the problem."

Luo Yan suddenly realized that he had said too much.

He remembered that Prince Kelin's persona should be a kind and generous, and a bit love-brained Imperial Prince.

In this way, whenever he encounters something he can't decide, he can stand behind Ailin—"If it weren't for this woman, I wouldn't care about you."

However, Mr. Andi, who was in high spirits at the moment, didn't think of this at all, or he didn't think of himself as so "simple" at all.

I saw him stand up excitedly, wishing to hold Prince Kelin's hand, but due to his status, he didn't do so in the end, and instead bowed deeply.

"Your Highness, you are simply a genius! It is the honor of every one of us that the Principality of Campbell can have a friend like you!"

Luo Yan coughed lightly, changed the sentence he once gave to Ilan'a, and gave it to Mr. Andi.

"I'm just standing on… the shoulders of a dragon."

……

Almost at the same time as ending the meeting with Prince Kelin, Andi went to Edward with the plan learned from "overseas."

The diligent Grand Duke studied the "paper currency" plan provided by Andi all night, and almost instantly saw the "essence" that Andi did not see.

Solving the liquidity crisis is just incidental!

This is to quietly take back the "monetary sovereignty" into his own hands under the strict currency system of the Empire!

This idea is simply wonderful!

Although he could not use academic theory to explain the mystery, just like when he saw the "New Testament," he immediately saw that it was what he needed!

The Principality of Campbell will establish its own currency system!

They will be the first to be independent economically. In the future, how much the things produced by Campbell people are worth must be decided by the Campbell people themselves!

"Go do it, Andi!"

With dark circles under his eyes from staying up all night, Edward summoned Andi and granted the latter the authority to execute in a serious voice.

"The Campbell royal family will provide you with all the support you need."

Except for doing this thing personally.

After all, he cannot openly oppose the Empire's currency hegemony, which may attract enemies more terrifying than the Tribunal.

But if everything is just a commercial act, they have room for maneuver!

Andi, who received authorization, did not rest for a moment.

At noon that day, under Andi's mobilization, more than a dozen of the most powerful bankers and gold shop owners on Queen Street in Lei Ming City all gathered in the conference room of the Dawn Embrace Hotel.

The fireplace in the conference room was burning very vigorously, but the atmosphere was depressingly cold.

These merchants and giants who controlled the economic lifeline of Lei Ming City were whispering to each other, guessing why the Grand Duke's "money bag" suddenly summoned them at this time.

Is it going to issue bonds again?

Can't be…

Even if it's just for show, they should discuss such things in the parliament, not set up a grass-roots team in a hotel like this.

If it's really like this, what's the difference from open robbery?

Most of them still have a good impression of Edward, but now they can't make up their minds.

Standing at the end of the long table, Andi looked around at the expressions on everyone's faces, taking in the guesses and doubts on their faces.

He knows very well what they are thinking, and this is also an unavoidable thing.

Not everyone is willing to be the first to eat crabs.

Even if in the not-too-distant tomorrow, everyone sitting here today will benefit greatly from the Grand Duke's wisdom.

"Gentlemen, thank you all for coming here in your busy schedule."

Andi cleared his throat and went straight to the topic.

"I think everyone has discovered a problem recently. Although our bank vaults are full of gold coins, there are not enough gold coins in circulation in the market, so that the exchange rate between gold coins and silver coins is getting higher and higher… Of course, I know this is a good thing for us who have a large number of gold coins, but our principality is not bought with gold coins after all, and gold coins cannot buy titles."

This sentence made everyone stop arguing and cast their attention to Andi one after another, and some people even showed interested expressions on their faces.

Although the Grand Duke summoned them for money, it seems that it was not to take money from them, but to let them do some "things."

That is still worth listening to.

"…Silver coins and copper coins are depreciating, and the speed of copper coin depreciation is far beyond our expectations. The bottom-level citizens who are hungry and cold cannot even buy a bag of salt with copper coins, just because our shopkeepers now only accept silver coins and give discounts on gold coins."

"Although this means our money can buy more salt, you and I both know that we don't need a whole boat of salt, but to let the citizens of the entire Lei Ming City afford our products, so that we can be richer."

"If we cannot satisfy the basic food and clothing needs of our citizens, our wealth will be like duckweed without roots. After all, I have never heard of a beggar in rags who is willing to sacrifice his life to defend the rich man's vault!"

"Therefore, I summoned you here to study the solution to the problem with you—"

"In fact, I already have a preliminary plan, please allow me to show it to you first as a throwing brick to attract jade for this meeting."

Andi signaled the servant to extinguish all the lights in the room.

The moment the room fell into darkness, he turned on a small magic crystal lamp.

Because magic crystals are relatively rare on the surface, this kind of poorly lit and expensive magic crystal lamp is not as common as the underground world, but it also belongs to the category that money can buy.

Looking at the faint purple light, he then took out a palm-sized piece of paper and placed it under the magic crystal lamp.

"This is…"

The merchants and giants present all made suppressed exclamations, whether they were bankers or gold shop owners.

I saw that on that piece of paper, the originally plain ink-printed pattern now bloomed with colorful luster!

Just like magic!

Countless tiny alchemy runes flowed on that thin-as-cicada-wing cloth pulp paper like a nimble galaxy.

It's simply like a work of art!

"As you can see, a kind of paper that cannot be copied…"

Everyone held their breath subconsciously until Andi's next sentence sounded in everyone's ears.

"I think it has the potential to replace silver coins."

Without giving everyone time to come back to their senses, he turned on the lights in the room again and ordered the servant to distribute the samples named "Silver Pound."

Distributed together was the magic crystal lamp to check the authenticity of the banknotes. The small lamp was only the size of a thumb, the shell was brass, and it could emit light with a gentle twist.

Looking at the so-called "Silver Pound" distributed in their hands, the conference room exploded immediately, and the sound of opposition patted the end of the long table like a tide.

"Paper?"

"Mr. Andi, are you kidding?"

"Use paper to replace silver coins!? I think you are crazy!"

The noise almost overturned the entire conference room.

Everyone sitting here is a human spirit, naturally guessing that there must be Grand Duke Edward's shadow behind Andi's move.

However, this idea is too bizarre, so bizarre that it is almost absurd, even if the Grand Duke cannot mess around like this!

Bonds have to be repaid anyway!

This thing is not even acting!

"This kind of magic ink… the cost must be scary," a gold shop owner picked up the banknote and brought it to his eyes, sniffed hard, and frowned, "And, as long as it is magic, it must be crackable, what about confidentiality?"

This is the first question.

It is also a more technical question.

Andi answered calmly. "The cost of this ink lies in research and development, not production. As for confidentiality, you don't have to worry, we will regularly upgrade encryption technology. As long as our research and development speed is faster, we can make counterfeiters unprofitable."

In addition, he also explained the account-based transaction method that Prince Kelin had told him. As long as large-scale fund transfers are between banks and banks, combined with the law enforcement of violent agencies, they can minimize the possibility of forgery.

It is not very realistic to completely eliminate it, but just like the bad debts of loans, as long as the ratio is pressed low enough, it is completely acceptable.

This answer barely suppressed some doubts.

However, soon, the core question was thrown out, and this was the doubt that Andi himself had had.

A most senior banker knocked on the table and shouted loudly.

"Why should our market recognize this paper? Could it be that our citizens can exchange it for the salt they couldn't afford from merchants with it! Mr. Andi, the credit of gold is cast by thousands of years of time, why do you think this paper can replace it?"

This remark triggered countless people's resonance, and the sound of opposition reached its peak at this moment. Looking around, the entire table could hardly see a supporter.

Edward can talk about patriotism, after all, the principality is his.

Andi can also talk about it, after all, they have long been tied to the Campbell family, or tied to Edward himself.

If Ailin came up, they could still catch their breath, but if Jeluoke came here, they would be the first batch of spoils to be slaughtered!

However, others sitting here are different.

As long as they load the Empire's gold coins on the ship, they can go anywhere to start over, it's just a pity.

Andi looked around the audience.

He knew that success or failure depended on this.

"By myself."

He said word by word, the voice was not loud, but it instantly suppressed all the noise.

"I announce that my Andi Bank will set an example for the issuance of 'Silver Pound'."

"From tomorrow, anyone, at any time, can take this 'Silver Pound' and withdraw the full amount of silver coins minted by the Campbell family from any branch of Andi Bank… The exchange rate is 1:1, no cap!"

The conference room fell into dead silence.

Everyone was stunned by Andi's big gamble. He was using the accumulation of his family for hundreds of years to guarantee this "paper."

Even with Edward's support, the risk is too great.

Once a run occurs, even the Andi family will go bankrupt instantly!

The sound of whispering lasted for a long time, some people shook their heads and stood up, leaving from the venue, and the guards at the door did not stop them.

Seeing no one stop them, more people stood up and left. Soon there were not many people left at the long table, and people sighed that they had come for nothing.

An old friend of Andi stopped in front of him after standing up. The old gentleman stared at him for a long time, and finally sighed.

"Mr. Andi, your courage is admirable, and I also know you have no other choice. But forgive me, my family cannot participate in this gamble."

"This plan… maybe in a few years when the time is ripe, we will talk again."

He didn't say it too dead, but the wording of the refusal was not euphemistic at all.

Soon, the people went to the building empty.

This secret meeting that decided the economic lifeline and future national destiny of the Principality of Campbell seemed to be heading for failure because no one followed up.

Andi stayed alone in the empty conference room, looking at those "Silver Pounds" that no one asked for, but there was no discouragement on his face.

He picked up the cold black tea, took a sip, then picked up the quill, and signed his name on the blank space of the issuance agreement.

Only his name was there.

In fact, Andi had expected the unhappy ending of this meeting.

Just like Prince Kelin's reminder to him—

"It's not enough to have 'credit', and it's not enough to become a reason for them to endure current pain for everyone's tomorrow, you also have to give them a 'reason' that they cannot refuse."

This is the Prince's first sentence.

And the source of his confidence is mainly the second sentence that followed closely behind—

"…For Ailin's sake, I can help you think of ideas."

……

The next day, the front page headline of the "Lei Ming City Daily" was occupied by the heavy announcement of Andi Bank.

Andi Bank endorsed with the reputation of the family, officially announced the launch of "Silver Pound," and reiterated that incredible promise to all citizens in the most conspicuous font—

"Anyone can exchange Silver Pound for the full amount of silver coins at any time at any bank under the Andi Group at a fixed ratio of 1:1, and vice versa."

No surprises.

This headline contracted all the jokes in Lei Ming City that day, and almost everyone in the taverns in the new industrial zone was discussing this matter.

"Use paper to exchange silver? Is Mr. Andi crazy?"

"Hahaha! If I cut this picture on the newspaper, can I exchange it for real silver coins from him?"

"Don't think about it, people have that anti-counterfeiting strip."

"I think he is being sentimental! No one needs this thing at all!"

"No, your pattern is small, I think this is a chance to get rich."

The drunkard sitting in front of the bar squeezed his eyebrows, took out a banknote with a face value of "1" from his arms, clamped it between his fingers, and shook it in front of everyone, "I went to get one early in the morning, in case Andi Bank goes bankrupt, this is a limited edition collection!"

The drunkards sitting around exclaimed, this smart guy is really rich, actually taking real gold and silver to waste.

The bartender wiping the glass shook his head and reminded the guy living in a dream.

"It's your freedom to collect it, but don't think about exchanging even a glass of beer from me with this broken paper!"

"Hahaha!"

The tavern was full of lively atmosphere.

Everyone felt that Yang Andi was crazy about money, thinking he was the King, thinking someone would buy his account.

The major shops in Lei Ming City publicly refused to accept it, and did not recognize the so-called "Silver Pound" issued unilaterally by Andi Bank.

At the door of a fur shop.

The shopkeeper wearing glasses would rather painstakingly identify a "Laine silver coin" whose fineness was so poor that it was almost rusty, than touch that beautifully crafted piece of paper.

After all, whether there is silver or not is not that important, what is important is whether the Empire recognizes that "iron piece" as a silver coin.

"Sorry, sir." Facing the citizens who came to choose goods, the shopkeeper shook his head and pushed the Silver Pound back, "You'd better go to the bank next door and exchange it for 'real' silver coins before coming."

The citizen left cursing, but could only swallow this breath.

This is the "unreasonable" part of sovereign currency.

Even if the Empire's emblem is printed on a piece of marble, merchants have to pinch their noses and admit that it is a gold coin, just with a little bit less gold content.

Of course, the Empire hasn't done this so far. After all, His Majesty the Emperor also wants face, and it's not to the point of being so ugly.

Everyone is waiting to see the joke of the Andi family.

Especially the banker who sat at the conference table that day.

However, no one expected that on the third day when "Silver Pound" was about to become the joke of the whole city, things suddenly turned around.

Lei Ming City Port, people are noisy.

The envoy of the "United Kingdom of Gutav," Mr. Ai Sa Ke Jifeng, was standing in front of a pile of newly unloaded goods, furious at the officials of the Campbell side.

"You are too much! I don't mind you mixing iron into silver coins, but what's going on with this rusty ghost look?!!"

Ai Sa Ke's lizard face was full of anger, his tail smashed the floor one by one, scaring the port official so much that he didn't dare to breathe.

He grabbed a handful of inferior coins from the Kingdom of Laine and smashed them hard on the ground, making a dull "puff" sound, not a crisp metal collision sound.

"You tell me these are silver?? This is simply insulting the Dragon God's intelligence!"

Unfortunately, Tafu is not here.

Otherwise she would definitely be angry.

The merchants who came to hear the news were all scared to silence, fearing that this God of Wealth would cancel all trade orders with the Principality of Campbell in a rage.

In fact, everyone wanted to go up and persuade him that there was no need to be like this, because those silver coins could be bought in any port of the Empire.

Unless they planned to return to the Janna Continent with an empty ship, but that would be too much of a loss!

The trade official wiped cold sweat and was about to explain the Empire's currency system and its long history, but Ai Sa Ke didn't give him a chance at all.

This lizardman envoy raised his volume and announced loudly.

"The United Kingdom of Gutav cannot accept these fake goods with uneven silver content! The silver coins Grand Duke Campbell gave me clearly don't look like this! I'm really fed up, you humans who steal and play tricks, if you can't take out enough gold, the Dragon God would rather have 'Silver Pound'! At least that thing can be exchanged for real things!"

Silver… Silver Pound?

The whole port was silent.

From the port officials to the surrounding merchants, everyone opened their mouths wide and looked straight at the lizardman envoy.

This guy… isn't he crazy?

They don't know why this stupid lizard wants that piece of paper, but if they can exchange it for the corn and iron ore of the United Kingdom of Gutav, it doesn't seem to be a loss?

After a brief silence, the entire port of Lei Ming City boiled.

"Silver Pound! That lizardman wants Silver Pound!"

"Damn! I suspect they are in the same group!"

"Forget whether they are in the same group, go to Andi Bank quickly! Exchange all my silver into Silver Pound! No—wait a minute, let me think, how much to exchange for how much!"

All the merchants who coveted that 7 million square kilometer market were crazy.

They rushed to Andi Bank like refugees, bringing those rusty silver coins to Mr. Andi.

Although they didn't know what the difference between "Silver Pound" was, as long as they exchanged it for that piece of paper, they could wash the rusty silver coins clean.

However, they were still too "young."

Although the Principality of Campbell follows the laws of the Empire and recognizes the "broken pieces" issued by other kingdoms in its territory, will Andi Bank allow the King of the Kingdom of Laine to buy "Silver Pound" endorsed by the Grand Duke from his own hands with broken pieces?

This is a credit currency issued nominally with the Empire's silver coins as an anchor, but in essence with the Principality's sovereignty as an endorsement.

In the office on the top floor of Andi Bank, Yang Andi looked at the street blocked by water below with a smile.

He knew that the initiative had completely returned to his hands.

"Praise Prince Kelin… Praise Princess Ailin."

He silently drew a cross on his chest, then called his assistant to explain a few words.

Soon, signs were hung at the doors of major Andi banks, with a piece of cut newspaper pasted on them, highlighting a note—

【Only "Campbell Silver Coins" can be exchanged for "Silver Pound."】

The moment they saw this announcement, the queue at the bank door exploded. The shopkeepers watching the fun were all watching the fun, while those importers were wailing.

"Campbell Silver Coins? Where can I find so many coins printed with the Campbell family crest for you? Or should I give you the money and you come to find it?"

"Damn! Do I have to count them one by one?!"

"It's over… the order of the Kingdom of Gutav is going to bubble!"

There are no enough "Campbell Silver Coins" in the market.

This is not because the silver content of Campbell silver coins is really as high as described by Ai Sa Ke Jifeng, but because the size of the principality is relatively small, and the number of coins minted is also relatively smaller.

Although theoretically the more coins minted, the more they occupy the "everyone's" cheap, but after all, the first one to take poison is oneself, so minting coins must be within one's ability.

The newly minted silver coins cannot be packed and thrown into the territory of neighboring countries for circulation, most of them are first circulated in their own territory for a period of time, and then slowly exported to the next door along the trade route.

The crows in the world are generally black, and the Principality of Campbell has no silver mines, so of course they have to mix some messy things in the silver coins.

However, the Kingdom of Gutav does not talk about martial arts—

At least Mr. Ai Sa Ke Jifeng only recognizes the silver coins printed with the Campbell family crest.

Facing the distorted faces of the merchants due to anxiety, Yang Andi walked out of the bank gate with a smile, with his managers behind him.

"Gentlemen, ladies, please be quiet… I understand your difficulties, our benevolent Grand Duke did not mint so many Campbell silver coins, and I also understand that counting those miscellaneous silver coins is by no means an easy task!"

He appeased everyone's emotions with a gentle voice, and then threw out a proposal that no one could refuse.

"But it doesn't matter! Don't forget we are a bank, and the most powerful bank in Lei Ming City!"

"We not only have savings business, but also loan business for 'Silver Pound'!"

"As long as your use of funds and whereabouts are reasonable and compliant, I am very happy to solve your urgent needs."