Chapter 908
Not Accepting Treasure Notes
Chen Xun circled the spinning machine excitedly, murmuring, "Wonderful, wonderful! It has added spindles. What is this? How can the spinning machine start moving with just a slight touch?"
Yu Qian was already looking up at the roof. He couldn't see anything inside, but he had noticed it when he entered the workshop. He said, "It's the wind!"
After inspecting the spinning machines, Chen Xun looked at the looms and saw that the female workers could weave double-sided jacquard. He immediately moved closer to Pan Yun and asked solicitously, "Grand Preceptor, did you make these new spinning and looms?"
Pan Yun: "It is thanks to the officials and craftsmen of the Ministry of Works' Textile Department."
"That wouldn't have been possible without the guidance of the Imperial Advisor," Chen Xun said, rubbing his hands together. "Since the Imperial Advisor came to the Ministry of Works, not only have they created wind-powered waterwheels and improved various agricultural tools, but they've also created spinning and weaving machines like these. It's truly a blessing for the nation, a blessing for the nation indeed!"
If the Taoist priests trusted by emperors throughout history had not squandered national wealth to bewitch the emperors with alchemy and the construction of Taoist temples, but instead had been like Pan Yun, who enjoyed creating things that benefited the country and its people, why would they have been so wary of Taoist priests participating in politics?
Chen Xun asked cautiously if a batch of new looms and spinning machines could be provided to the Jiangning Textile Bureau.
Chen Xun had already quickly started calculating and said to the emperor, "Now that the sea ban has been lifted, the cloth of our Great Ming is very popular overseas. The Maritime Trade Office can take over a portion of the trade. In addition to the silks that are offered as tribute, Jiangning can also produce some ordinary silks and cloths to go overseas. This can not only fill Your Majesty's private treasury, but also the national treasury."
The Jiangning Textile Bureau sounds grand, but in reality, the items it produced were only for the use of the emperor and high-ranking officials.
Even so, it still had 30,000 workers and served as a hub for 120,000 residents, generating an annual output of 8 million taels of silver.
Of course, this is statistical data from the Ministry of Revenue.
At a time when the national treasury was in dire need of funds and there was a severe surplus of labor in Jiangnan, it was already remarkable that Chen Xun could think of having the Jiangning Textile Bureau participate in maritime trade to earn foreign exchange for the national treasury. However, in Pan Yun's view, this was not enough.
Pan Yun said, "Why not announce the new looms and spinning machines so that people can order and buy them? In this way, not only will the production capacity of Jiangning Textile Factory increase, but the production capacity of the entire textile industry of the Ming Dynasty will also increase."
Chen Xun's mouth dropped open: "Then, where does the Jiangning Textile Bureau still have an advantage?"
Yu Qian glanced at him and said to Pan Yun, "The key is that a sudden and significant increase in production capacity will likely lead to many workers losing their jobs, and the market demand for cotton, hemp, silk, and other commodities will also increase. I'm afraid that within two years, it will encroach on farmland used for grain production."
Chen Xun immediately realized what he meant and nodded repeatedly, saying, "Yes, yes!"
Pan Yun said, "First of all, gentlemen, is the Ming Dynasty truly experiencing a labor surplus, or is it because people are not being used effectively?"
Yu Qian and Chen Xun remained silent.
Pan Yun said, "Road construction, bridge building, house construction, mining—which of these doesn't require people? If we abolish forced labor, people can earn a living by doing these things, just like farming or weaving. Would there still be displaced people in the world?"
Chen Xun's eyes widened, and he exclaimed, "How is this possible? How much money would this cost?"
Pan Yun shrugged: "So the essence is the lack of money. What if the imperial court had enough money?"
Chen Xun swallowed hard and went to look at the emperor.
The emperor, too, suffered from persistent tinnitus: "Labor service... If I were to abolish this system, which has been in place for over two thousand years in China, without harming the national treasury, then..."
Pan Yun calmly replied, "Your Majesty will be remembered for all time!"
Yu Qian was calmer than the others and said in a deep voice, "It's not just about money. Money needs to be backed by tangible things, like food!"
“Therefore, improving agricultural productivity is of paramount importance,” Pan Yun said. “National development should be comprehensive, not focused on just one aspect. Otherwise, the balance will be unbalanced, and a single tree cannot support the whole.”
Yu Qian had many more plans in mind, Chen Xun lowered his eyes, the emperor was full of ambition, and even Empress Wang felt her blood boiling, her cheeks were red all the way back.
Once they entered the city, Pan Yun invited the Emperor and Empress to lunch.
Empress Wang had not strolled the streets since she entered Kunning Palace, but seeing the bustling scene on the street, she immediately looked at the Emperor.
The emperor could grant her this wish, so he took her hand and said, "Come on, what would you like to eat? It's on me."
Pan Yun pulled out a stack of banknotes and said, "I've received my salary, let me treat you." Yu Qian and Chen Xun saw the banknotes in Pan Yun's hand, their faces showing a complicated expression, hesitant to speak, and upon closer inspection, somewhat embarrassed.
Pan Yun pretended not to see them and took the emperor and empress out for a stroll and some food.
Upon seeing the skewers, Pan Yun ordered ten. The stall owner was overjoyed, and as soon as the skewers were started grilling, Pan Yun pulled out her banknotes.
The stall owner's smile froze: ...
He awkwardly twirled the skewers in his hand, saying timidly yet firmly, "Miss, I don't accept paper money. Do you have any copper coins?"
Pan Yun looked disappointed: "You don't accept paper money? But I didn't bring any copper coins with me today~~"
The stall owner then suggested, "Why don't you come back with copper coins next time?"
Pan Yun looked at the meat skewers with great interest: "Why don't you accept paper money? Aren't they all money?"
The stall owner said helplessly, "Your attire clearly indicates that you are from wealthy and powerful families. You must have someone in your family who is an official, right? Your banknotes can still be spent, but for us ordinary people, these banknotes are just worthless paper. Who would buy them?"
Pan Yun then looked at the Emperor and Empress and the two high-ranking officials beside them.
Zhu Qiyu knew that the paper money was unpopular, but he didn't know that it was so disliked that he couldn't even spend it. He was both embarrassed and surprised.
Cheng Jing was quick-witted enough to immediately rush forward with his money bag, saying repeatedly, "This servant has copper coins here."
Cheng Jing spent money to buy these ten skewers of meat.
Pan Jun gave each of them a skewer, and kept three for herself, eating as she walked.
He stopped at a stall, picked up a beautifully designed wooden hairpin, and asked the Empress, "Young Master Zhu, do you think this hairpin looks good on Madam?"
Zhu Qiyu looked at it carefully and nodded: "It looks good."
Pan Yun wanted to buy it as a gift for Empress Wang, and after asking the price, he took out his precious banknotes.
Everyone: ...Again?
Pan Yun was cautiously refused again, and in the end Cheng Jing paid the money.
Pan Jun was not discouraged at all, and pulled them to the shop next door.
They went to a general store to buy things, but the shopkeeper glanced at them and refused to accept the paper money. In the end, Cheng Jing paid the bill.
Pan Yun then took them to a silk shop to buy fabric. When Pan Yun took out her banknotes, the shopkeeper did not refuse her directly, but asked her if she had any wooden plaques, or which one they belonged to.
Pan Yun said, "My father is the Right Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial."
The silk shop refused, saying gently, "We don't accept paper money from young ladies. If you really want to spend your paper money, you can go to a money exchange and exchange it for silver."
Pan Yun asked, "Whose paper money do you receive?"
The silk shopkeeper smiled but remained silent: "We only accept silk from officials of the fourth rank or above, and not all fourth-rank officials are accepted. Each trade has its own rules."
Pan Yun nodded, and in the end, Cheng Jing spent money to buy the silk that Pan Yun had chosen.
The shopkeeper was delighted and thoughtfully pointed out the direction of the money exchange to them, adding, "Visit two more places; the exchange rate for paper money varies from place to place. If your shop has connections with higher-ranking officials, let them know, and you'll get an even better exchange rate." (End of Chapter)