After Transmigration: Building a Kingdom in Turbulent Times-Chapter 621 - 615 New Money

After several hundred years, the Five Coin Money underwent changes in detail, but it remained the mainstream currency, up until now.

At the end of the Eastern Han period, after the world was divided, local warlords began minting copper coins privately, though most followed the pattern and weight of the Five Coin Money closely.

However, after Wei unified the Three Kingdoms, the currency also began to unify, from that time to now, everyone seems to be using money minted by the court.

Zhao Hanzhang contemplated the pattern on the copper coin, thinking she might be the first inspector in the area to mint coins?

Should she completely follow the previous version of the Five Coin Money for minting, or add something to it?

Zhao Hanzhang did not know that far away in Xiliang, new Five Coin Money had already been minted.

Zhang Shi came in carrying a tray of copper coins and bowed, saying: "Father, this is the newly minted Five Coin Money."

Zhang Gui quickly put down his pen and took it over for a closer look.

Zhang Shi said, "One copper coin weighs between two and three coin weights."

Zhang Gui lifted his eyelids to look at him, "So is it two coin weights or three?"

Zhang Shi lowered his head and said softly, "Most weigh two coin weights and two silk threads, ranging from two coin weights and two silk threads to two coin weights and four silk threads."

He said, "There’s not much copper in Xiliang, and the casting process can only achieve this."

Zhang Gui lightly tapped a copper coin, paused for a long time, then put it down and nodded, "It’s enough. Our goal is also to let the governed populace have money to use, avoiding barter transactions every time."

He said, "Distribute the money."

"Yes."

Zhang Shi did not leave, but instead asked, "Father, can these coins be traded with merchants outside Xiliang?"

Zhang Gui’s eyes flashed as he looked up at him.

Zhang Shi said, "Since we made a trip outside Yumen Pass, merchants from the Central State have started coming over, they mentioned before that the goods they brought could only be bartered with us, making calculations extremely inconvenient, now with money, they might be willing to take some coins away."

Zhang Gui meditated, "But the Five Coin Money we minted is lighter than the court’s, they may not be willing."

Zhang Shi said, "If we only trade with money, whether or not they are willing, they must be willing."

Zhang Gui frowned without speaking, instead asking, "The things I asked you to prepare for Luoyang and Chang’an, are they ready?"

Zhang Shi said gloomily, "They’re ready."

He couldn’t quite understand his father, "Father, sending fur and horses to Zhao Hanzhang is understandable, after all, she sent us grain, but why also send to Chang’an?"

"Haven’t you seen Fu Zhongshu’s letter? Chang’an is experiencing famine, we can’t send grain but can send other things to help them through the difficulties."

"But..."

Zhang Gui raised his hand to stop him from speaking, saying, "Son, today the world is in chaos, but Xiliang is Jin territory, we guard the Jiangshan of the Jin Dynasty, we are ministers of Jin, so we must be loyal to the Great Jin."

"Whether it’s Chang’an, Luoyang, or Yun City where Your Majesty currently resides, Xiliang, and they are all brother cities, we should assist each other." He said, "Today I help Chang’an and Luoyang through difficulties, one day, Chang’an and Luoyang will help us."

"Even if there is no help, what we give out, as long as it can be used for the people and save countless lives, it’s not a loss."

Zhang Shi lowered his head in shame and said, "Yes, yes, son is too narrow-minded."

Zhang Gui nodded, saying, "Go, and let people pack two boxes of new money, send one box each to Chang’an and Luoyang."

He had a new idea, if he wanted foreign merchants to use their new money, he had to get the approval of Fu Zhi and Zhao Hanzhang.

As long as the two agreed with his new money, especially Zhao Hanzhang, nowadays merchants coming to Xiliang mostly come from Yu State and Luoyang, he also knew that one of the merchant fleets belonged to Zhao Hanzhang.

So as long as Zhao Hanzhang approves Xiliang’s new money, then his new money can be used in Xiliang and the Central State.

Zhang Gui took out a blank paper, after pondering for a moment, he wrote a letter to Zhao Hanzhang, which would be sent to Luoyang along with the gifts.

This batch of goods from Xiliang was escorted by the Xiliang Army, accompanied by Xiliang merchants associated with the army.

Since the rebellion was quelled, the inspector began gathering refugees, and with the opening of Yumen Pass, a large number of Central State refugees poured into Xiliang.

The inspector established two new counties just to settle this batch of refugees, showing how many Central State refugees there were.

Along with the refugees came Central State merchandise, and the inspector set up military couriers from the seat of governance to Yumen Pass, and threatened Yumen Pass to keep it half open, allowing refugees and merchants to come and go, with more Central State merchants coming over.

Xiliang’s merchants also want to go to the Central State; it is said that a female general over there already stabilized Luoyang’s conflict, and there is a lot of business to do.

Haven’t you seen those refugees starting to migrate back to Central State again?

It’s said they are going back to Luoyang.

Alas, it’s hard to leave one’s homeland, as long as there’s money and mobility, who doesn’t wish to return home?

The soldiers guarding Yumen Pass silently watched the people at the pass coming and going.

Last month, the Xiliang Army suddenly set up camp outside Yumen Pass, startling them, thinking Zhang Gui was rebelling. But not far outside Chang’an, Yongzhou also discovered a large army, personally led by Zhao Hanzhang’s younger brother, Zhao Yong, also facing Chang’an.

Prince Nanyang was so frightened he couldn’t eat, immediately seeking counsel from Fu Zhi.

He knew Fu Zhi was here to compete for power, so he was very wary of Fu Zhi, making Fu Zhi’s work progress very difficult.

But this time, he had no choice but to seek Fu Zhi’s help.

He had some friendship with Zhang Gui, and Zhang Gui respected him, not to mention Zhao Hanzhang, who was his future granddaughter-in-law, so Prince Nanyang hoped Fu Zhi could mediate.

Fu Zhi indeed stepped forward, negotiating with both parties, Zhang Gui and Zhao Hanzhang had a clear goal: they wanted Yumen Pass opened to allow refugees and merchants to enter and exit.

Frankly, opening Yumen Pass was a major challenge for the soldiers of Chang’an, as it was a gateway to the Central Plains. If the pass was opened but undefended, foreign enemies could enter, potentially devastating the realms below the Central Plains.

But as Zhang Gui said, Xiliang was the advanced post of Yumen Pass; if Yumen Pass were compromised, it would mean the annihilation of Xiliang first. If war broke out, closing the pass wouldn’t be too late.

However... Yumen Pass not only defended against foreign enemies like the Xianbei but also against Zhang Gui and Xiliang.

Cough cough, of course, this couldn’t be said to Zhang Gui.

Fu Zhi didn’t trust Xiliang entirely, but he trusted Zhang Gui.

So he told Prince Nanyang, "As long as Zhang Gui is alive, Yumen Pass can remain open; if Xiliang replaces the inspector, Yumen Pass must close."

Prince Nanyang, a gentle man who disliked warfare, looked at the Xiliang Army outside the pass and then at the Zhao Family Army outside Chang’an City, realizing if he didn’t agree, they might directly take over Chang’an, finally relenting.

Thus, the pass was opened.

Once Yumen Pass was opened, the soldiers’ workload increased sharply, but they had no complaints, because all travelers entering and exiting the pass had to pay taxes, more or less, and thus, the famine-stricken Chang’an Army, where even soldiers began to starve, finally had income.