Steel Dynasty - Chapter 497

[Chapter 497 Bank Dilemma]

PS: There is one more chapter.

Noisy and enthusiastic voices kept coming from the merchants.

Looking at these merchants, Xiao Ming couldn’t help but shook his head. Only ghosts would believe the merchants’ promises. However, now that the sea trade routes have been opened, Xiao Ming also wants to profit from sea trade as soon as possible.

For him, the most direct way to make profit is through commercial taxes. After all, he alone cannot handle all maritime trade. The most important thing is that he does not have many manpower.

Therefore, he wanted to establish a maritime trading company with the Qingzhou Chamber of Commerce as the core and other merchants as vassals. This company was similar to the contemporary Dutch East India Company.

Surrounded by businessmen, Xiao Ming naturally could not continue to worry about the sugar issue. Now that the businessmen knew about the maritime trade routes, he had to carefully study how to maximize profits.

Let the businessmen go back first, and he and Li Kaiyuan returned to the Chamber of Commerce.

In the past two years, Xiao Ming has been teaching Li Kaiyuan business knowledge that is beyond this era. Regarding this question, he tentatively asked Li Kaiyuan: “How do you think we should deal with the maritime trade routes?”

After pondering for a while, Li Kaiyuan said: ” Your Highness, I believe that the right to maritime trade should be opened to merchants. However, any merchant who wants to conduct maritime trade must obtain a license from the Chamber of Commerce, otherwise it will easily cause chaos in maritime trade. These licenses are also proof of merchants’ tax payments. “

Well, what else?”

“While opening up maritime trade rights to merchants, the Chamber of Commerce must play a leading role in maritime trade. We eat meat and let the merchants eat the scraps, so that we can get the maximum profits,” Li Kaiyuan said.

Xiao Ming looked at Li Kaiyuan in surprise. This boy has made great progress. He is right. Maritime trade is a big dish. The Qingzhou Chamber of Commerce cannot eat all the dishes. At this time, merchants are needed to eat some side dishes. Side dishes, while they eat the most sumptuous of them.

In terms of trade, the chamber of commerce takes the most profitable business, leaving other less frequent business to the merchants, and he can also collect taxes from the merchants.

“You have made rapid progress in the past two years. It seems that I was right to choose you to be the vice president of this chamber of commerce.” Xiao Ming said with a smile.

Li Kaiyuan said with a smile: “His Highness is still very discerning and can turn this miscellaneous fish like Xiaguan into a koi.”

“Don’t be modest. Since it comes to business, do you have any other ideas?”

“Yes. Li Kaiyuan said sternly, “Your Highness, the merchants in the Chamber of Commerce are from other places. There is basically no growth in local merchants. I think we should support local people to become merchants. After all, the merchants in the Chamber of Commerce are very mixed now, and their backgrounds are very diverse.” Not simple.”

“You are right, this is what I am thinking about.” Xiao Ming’s expression became serious. “Continue.”

Li Kaiyuan cleared his throat and said, “Your Highness, there is some production. It’s time for crafts to be opened to the people. Just like the road construction last time, the government can lend money to the people and let them pay patent royalties to open private workshops. In this way, our slaves can start from some low-profit businesses. Freed up to do more important things.”

“Well, you are right. This time, I am going to promote the development of private capital and make the capital in the country come alive.” Xiao Ming knocked on the table and said, “And. The king also has several technologies that he is ready to release, but as for the loan, I think the banks in each state should also be open for business. “

“Yes, we have been preparing for this bank for a long time, and during this time, the Cao family has been able to do it. The bank took advantage of it and now wants to take it back.” Li Kaiyuan laughed evilly.

When it came to the bank affairs, the two went to find Pang Yukun together. He had been handling the affairs of the Liuzhou Bank, and now he was the one who understood the situation best.

When they arrived at the government office, Xiao Ming and Pang Yukun talked about the bank. He immediately took Xiao Ming and Li Kaiyuan to Dongshi. In a row of shops along the street in Dongshi, he saw the official bank with a plaque of Qingzhou Bank.

“Your Highness, this is it. The bank has been open to the public a month ago, but there are only a few people coming to the bank. It is not as lively as the Cao Family Bank.” Pang Yukun sighed.

Li Kaiyuan hurriedly explained: “But Your Highness, the liveliness of the Cao Family Bank is all because of the merchants. People rarely go to the Cao Family Bank.”

Whether it is a bank or a bank, this is a problem for the people of the feudal country. For unfamiliar matters, they would rather hide their money at home than take it out and deposit it in the bank.

Even though Xiao Ming is very popular, the people have their own little plans in mind.

The appearance of Qingzhou Bank is almost the same as that of Cao’s Bank. It looks like a prison, with the accounting office locked inside and people handling deposits and withdrawals outside.

After glancing at the plaque, Xiao Ming and Pang Yukun walked in.

The government office bought this piece of land from a businessman. They valued the flow of people in the East Market, but now it seems to be the most deserted place in the area.

When the three young accountants in Qingzhou Bank saw Pang Yukun and Xiao Ming come in, they immediately recovered from their laziness and sat upright.

“Your Highness, this Qingzhou Bank is like this now. It is either dead or alive. There is nothing I can do about it.” After all, Pang Yukun is not proficient in finance, and he is unable to do anything about it.

For Xiao Ming, banks are the next important means to stimulate the development of private capital. He asked one of the accountants: “How do you handle deposits and withdrawals for the people?”

“Similar to the Cao Family Bank, you collect part of the money to help the people. Deposit the money in the bank and issue a bank check to them,” the accountant said.

Hearing this, Xiao Ming’s face suddenly turned green. This did not explain how Pang Yukun ran the bank. As expected, this problem arose.

He sighed and said to Pang Yukun: “From now on, people are not allowed to charge money for deposits and withdrawals, and we tell them that their money can still increase in the bank.”

“Money increase! Your Highness, haven’t we lost money in vain? ?” Pang Yukun said puzzled.

Xiao Ming said: “How can we lose money? The bank collects the money and then lends it to people to run workshops. Part of the interest can be charged on the loaned money. We are empty-handed.”

Pang Yukun did not respond for a while. He came over and thought about it for a while. He suddenly realized, “Your Highness, it’s high. It’s really high. This means that we make money from other people’s money, and then give part of the money earned from this to the people.”

“That’s right. For example, if the people save money every day, We can get an interest of three thousandths per month. When we lend money, we can charge five thousandths. No matter what, the government will never suffer losses. This is banking finance. Pang Shoufu, you have to learn this from Li Kaiyuan. .” Xiao Ming smiled.

(End of chapter)