Chapter 217: Preventing autumn and winter, Wuzhaibao bill of exchange

This time, Huang Laifu came to Beijing to handle business for Emperor Wanli, run imperial villages, and open various factories and shops. Although the emperor was satisfied with a series of achievements, the relevant matters were actually managed by Qu Yuanrui, Wang Qinian, Gu Shibao, Jiang Yongsheng and others of the Huang Laifu shogunate. Huang Laifu was just doing some theoretical planning and detailed affairs, and he didn't care about it.

This is the benefit of delegating power, which greatly reduces his workload. However, if Huang Laifu wants to return to Wuzhaibao, these people naturally have to go back. After all, their affairs are still in Shanxi Town, Wuzhaibao and other places. However, they also left behind personnel from various bureaus in charge of various matters. Since then, the bureau will send people to Beijing for inspection every year. This is the only way.

At the end of October of the 24th year of Wanli, after a long journey, Huang Laifu and others returned to Ningwu Pass.

It was after the autumn harvest, but Ningwu Pass was still busy. In the past two years, the local coal and timber industry have developed rapidly. With the completion of the cement road in Ningwu Pass, merchants from all over the country flocked to the town. People from all over the country were used to finding work inside and outside the city after the autumn harvest was busy farming. Therefore, when Huang Laifu and others walked on the street, it was noisy and complicated, and there were dialects in various places.

Seeing this lively situation, Huang Laifu naturally felt satisfied. Like Wuzhai Fort, Ning Wu was locked in his hands and became more and more prosperous. Looking at the smiling faces of the military households on the streets, Huang Laifu secretly felt that he had traveled through time for nothing.

As soon as he returned to the general's mansion, Governor Yang Fangluo couldn't wait to invite Huang Laifu to the lobby of the governor's yamen, and Liu Tangsheng Bingbei also sat aside. When they met, Governor Yang and Liu Bingbei had a look of pride on their faces. This year, the tax and grain garrisons in Zhenning Wudao, Shanxi Province were well collected, and a large amount of mutual trading taxes were also collected from Shuiquanying Fort and other places. Yu Gong and the Ministry of Personnel were excellent for their attendance this year. Yu Gong, the two of them received a large amount of dividends from coal mines and timber clubs in Ningwu Pass. The public and private harvest naturally made the two smile on their faces.

The three of them sat down and exchanged greetings for a while. Governor Yang tentatively asked about Huang Laifu's affairs in Beijing, with an envy in his tone. They also heard about Huang Laifu's affairs in Beijing over the past few months. Huang Laifu, as a warrior, was so favored by the emperor and entrusted with various important tasks. Although they were lees on the same rope as Huang Laifu, they still couldn't help but be jealous.

Liu Tang Sheng Bingbei even laughed dryly: "Huang Junmen is valued by the emperor, and it is a good thing to open various factory workshops in Jingjin. However, I have also heard that cement factories, wool spinning factories, glass factories, supermarkets and other items can also be opened in Jin. Huang Junmen is very proud in Beijing, but don't forget to take care of the family's family."

Huang Laifu said: "There will be a chance."

Governor Yang said: "Jin Town is an important town on the nine borders. Huang Junmen is responsible for the important task of defending the border for the country and cannot be separated. Now it is autumn and winter again, and this task of preventing autumn and winter is going to bother Huang Junmen."

As the general of Shanxi Town, Huang Laifu had great military achievements and did not dare to invade outside the Weizhen Town. If Huang Laifu was in Ningwu Pass, the soldiers and civilians in the town would be as calm as if they had taken a pill and were not surprised. However, during the time when Huang Laifu left, many people in the town were uneasy, including Governor Yang and others. Now that Huang Laifu is back, everyone will feel relieved.

The Jiubian Army Town of the Ming Dynasty was at the entrance of the border. In the past, nomadic tribes on the grassland often invaded the south when the autumn was high and the horses were fat. Therefore, every year in autumn and winter, the generals and deputy generals of each town had to lead the troops to the border military fort, strengthen the guards, and dispatch troops to defend. The same is true for Shanxi Town, which prevents autumn at Yangfangkou and prevents winter to reach the Bitou Pass. Although the frontiers have not been in full swing in recent years, this routine is inevitable.

After discussing the military affairs for a while, Huang Laifu said goodbye.

In the following days, Huang Laifu was busy handling various military affairs and autumn prevention matters at Ningwu Pass. When Huang Laifu entered Beijing, most of the affairs of the general's mansion were handled by Yang Xiaolu and the shogunate staff. However, even so, many things needed to be approved and made up for Huang Laifu, but the documents were stored, which made Huang Laifu busy for several days and nights before basically completing it.

In Ningwu Pass, there are actually only three battalions left, including two thousand people in Huang Laifu Laifu Camp, two thousand people in Ningwu Camp, and three thousand people in Governor Yang Governor's Model Battalion. However, the Ningwu Camp led by General Liu Quanli has become a professional mine protection team. I am afraid that I will not have the ability to fight in the future, so the Model Battalion also makes people frown. It turns out that the remaining two battalions of scattered soldiers inside and outside the city, as well as military household guards, have become professional military farming soldiers, animal husbandry and mining soldiers after development in recent years. But these people are afraid that they will not have the ability to fight in the future.

The same is true for the entire Shanxi Town. Apart from Huang Laifu's battalions of direct troops, the rest are at most garrison troops and defending the city. They have no ability to fight in field battles, so in the past few years, Shanxi Town conquered Ningxia and fought in North Korea and other wars, all the troops sent by Huang Laifu.

At present, the army in Ningwu Pass in Chengzhen, Shanxi Town is like Wuzhai Fort and old camp fort. It can be self-sufficient and does not require much funding from the Ministry of War, so it is naturally praised by the superiors. However, there are not many troops that can fight. The Ministry of War is considering whether to recruit new troops in Shanxi Town and form a new war barracks. However, this cost a lot, where can the Ministry of War pay? Moreover, Huang Laifu believes that there is no need for this. The soldiers are not strong enough. In the entire Shanxi Town, several of his battalions of soldiers can fight in the field, which can shock the Hu people outside the Great Wall to dare not invade. If you really want to do it, you can select strong troops in the town and form a new battalion. It is better to truly transform them into military farming soldiers. You can farm when you are busy and practice when you are free.

But this matter is complicated and involves the interests of many people. Although Huang Laifu is the general of Shanxi Town and has the obligation to train troops, it is still not easy to truly implement this matter in Shanxi Town.

No matter what, on November 7th, Huang Laifu still led five hundred Laifu camp servants to Yangfangkou Fort north of Ningwu Pass and began his military affairs to prevent autumn and winter.

This Yangfangkou is a section of the Great Wall, about twenty miles north of Ningwu Pass. It is connected to the Jinsha Beach on the edge of Datong in the north, and to Yunzhongshan, Chanfangshan, Guanzishan and other places in the south, east and west. It is a throat pass, and its military location is very important. This is not only the key to Ningwu, but also the shield of Yanmen and Pianguan. Once there is something wrong with Datong, heavy troops are often stationed here.

However, because the Hui River flows through here, the terrain is flat, and 100,000 cavalry can be arranged in a row. In the mountainous terrain of Shanxi Town, the place seems very flat and has always been the first invader of the Hu people on the grassland. In the past, the enemy cavalry was doomed, and the army could be destroyed for several miles from the entrance of this. Therefore, in the 18th year of Jiajing, the then governor Chen Sheng built a fort at Jiulongkou and built two enemy buildings. After the fort was established, the city was more than one mile away. In the fourth year of Wanli, bricks were added, and the city was 2,080 miles and 3,5 feet high.

After the completion of Yangfangkou Fort City, it was called "the first rushing entrance to Shanxi Zhenzhong Road". It is located on Changfang Mountain in the east and Huihe in the west. If you send troops to defend here, you can defend Yanmen in the east, support Baishu in the west, and respond to Yunshuo in the north, occupying all the geographical advantages.

At present, Yangfangkou Fort has a garrison, led 349 flag troops, managed the surrounding defense zone for 13 miles and 150 steps, and there were 30 border troughs, a place at the inner water outlet. Since the Longqing year, Yangfangkou has been passing through less wars, and the Huihe River at the pass is also a major transportation route that connects Shuozhou and Datong. Therefore, there are ships coming and going here every day, which is very lively.

Especially after Huang Laifu came to Ningwu Pass, because there was a lot of coal in the territory under Yangfangkou, in the past two years, there were more than a dozen villages in the area digging and mining everywhere. Not only were the local people swept away, but even the soldiers and civilians from Shuozhou, nearby Datong Town, etc. also came here to make a living. Therefore, although the sparrows are small, it is very lively. There are a large number of inns, restaurants, shops, etc. in the small fort.

When Huang Laifu led his troops here, the garrison of Yangfangkou Fort hurried out to welcome him. The fort was also the only military fort in Guanzhong, Ningwu, where there was no generals to be sent to farm. However, even if there was no income from farming, the flag army in the fort usually consumed taxes to protect the mines and was frivolous. This was also the default of Huang Laifumo.

Although this time is a routine prevention of autumn and winter, Huang Laifu did not intend to stay in Yangfangkou Fort. At the end of the year, what he really valued was to inspect Laoying Fort. After all, Yangfangkou Fort is deep in the mainland. If the Mongols on the grassland invade, they also need to break through the entire Datong Town before they can reach Yangfangkou. It was also a matter of a moment to ride a fast horse from Yangfangkou to Ningwu Pass. His two thousand servants were in Ningwu City, so there was no need to wait here stupidly. Moreover, Huang Laifu's style was to fight, so he was even more reluctant to stay in a certain place and be beaten.

However, after inspecting the inside and outside of Yangfangkou Fort, Huang Laifu also gained something. Yangfangkou Fort is a major transportation route connecting Datong Town and Shanxi Town. Here, you can build a trade distribution center between the two towns and engage in coal mining. Moreover, the river is vast and the land on both sides is fertile, so you can build some military farming. Due to the rich local coal mines, many local people would rather go to the mine to work than farm. However, due to the development of Ningwu Pass, there have been many refugees in Shanxi Town and refugees from Datong Town coming here to live. It is completely feasible to recruit Dingkou among these people.

On November 12, Huang Laifu left behind one hundred Dingliu, Fangkou Fort in Guanyang, led by President Aiwei, and left the place, took the Wuzhai Fort, and headed to the frontier.

On November 18, 24th year of Wanli, we saw that the weather was getting colder and thicker every day. However, in Wuzhaibao, the clothes we wore were somewhat different from other places. In other places, everyone wore thick cotton jackets, but in Wuzhaibao, we have been wearing wool coats in recent years. Not only is it warm, not to mention the warmth, bloated and noble, it has a unique flavor.

Although it is slack when it comes to winter, the lively Wuzhai Fort is like a day. Huang Laifu positioned Wuzhai Fort as a key place for rural and commercial enterprises, so after the autumn harvest, rice shops and rice shops spread inside and outside the fort, resold rice noodles to various towns. The carriages and horses were traveling, and the corn goods were so prosperous that they could rank first in Shanxi towns.

There are also factories, and after the autumn, there are even more crowds of people coming to Wuzhaibao to work in various places. Over the years, under the influence of various agricultural and sideline products and commodities of Wuzhaibao, many commercial towns have been formed with Wuzhaibao as the center: Wuzhaibao, grain, oil, wool and sprinkler distribution center, Shenchibao, coal, iron and cement distribution center, Kelanzhou, wool distribution center... The exchange between cities and towns has formed a large market.

Like the migrant workers in later generations, the customs of working in the military forts elsewhere in Shanxi Town have also formed in recent years. They either work for a long time or work in Wuzhaibao after a slack farm. After they make money, they return to their hometowns. Whenever they talk, they attract envy from others. This has brought about a larger abortion. According to preliminary statistics, the population, permanent population and foreign population of Wuzhaibao have now exceeded 100,000.

The demand for raw materials and the prosperity of commerce in various places has led to a rapid increase in the number of merchants inside and outside Wuzhaibao. At present, the farms in Wuzhaibao are like towns. In addition, there are nearly a thousand large merchants in Wuzhaibao, as well as many money houses, silver houses, teahouses, theaters, etc. Due to the increase in trade volume and frequent cash transactions, last autumn, Wuzhaibao Bank also gave birth to foreign exchange bills. Once it was released, it was very popular among merchants.

At this time, although the Ming Dynasty was filled with money shops from all over the country, various types of silver bills were also launched. Without exception, these silver bills were not allowed to be withdrawn from other places. Merchants had to pay cash in cash when they went out to purchase and trade. After making money from other places, they had to transport cash back to their hometowns by special escort agencies. Not only were the expenses very large, time-consuming and misleading, but also often made mistakes. As the trade volume between Wuzhaibao and other places became increasingly large and frequent, large-scale cash banking use was obviously unable to keep up with the trend of the development of the times.

Due to the development of Wuzhaibao Bank in recent years, the bank has opened a semicolon in Shenchibao, Ningwuguan, Laoyingbao, Kelanzhou, Guihuacheng, Taiyuan and other places. Therefore, Huang Laifu changed the shopkeeper's name to the general manager of the bank, and he came up with a way. If there are deposits in Wuzhaibao Bank and the bank has a semicolon in a certain place, the depositors do not need to withdraw the silver from the deposit place, but can withdraw it directly from the semicolon in a certain place. Afterwards, you can use a letter to inform the other party's number and the general number to submit the matters.

This can be said to have greatly facilitated those merchants who need a lot of money. In just one year, more and more people have asked for remittance. Seeing this, Zhou Wendong was also overjoyed. In addition to Wuzhaibao Bank launching this kind of exchange business, he also sent people to investigate the locations of trade for many merchants and selected talented staff to open exchange semicolons in many towns in Shanxi. The other party can handle it as long as it pays a certain handling fee.

Since this kind of exchange payment is paid here, the money is used here, and the procedures are simple and easy to use, not only many merchants come to remit money, but also some wealthy households and official generals come to entrust exchange matters. With the increase of capital, the transportation location is getting bigger and bigger, and the profits are also increasing. Then they absorb cash and issue loans, and the business is booming. This autumn, in the section of Guihuacheng alone, there were more than 30,000 taels of silver deposits and more than 80,000 taels of silver deposits.

Many money banks saw that the business of Wuzhaibao Bank was so popular and busy, and they followed up and invested in foreign exchange bills. Soon, the trend had spread out of Shanxi Province and developed into other provinces. For a time, this bills business that only appeared in the late Qing Dynasty actually appeared in Wuzhaibao in Wanli in advance.

"Madam, this is a bill of exchange worth 100,000 taels of silver. Please collect it."

Wuzhaibao Bank covers a wide area and is luxurious and grand. It has three entrances inside, and the VIP room is at the bottom. In the flower hall, Zhou Wendong took out a few silver notes and solemnly handed them to Gu Yunniang. Zhou Wendong admired Gu Yunniang in his heart, not because Gu Yunniang was Huang Laifu's wife, nor because she was the wife of the imperial decree, but because Gu Yunniang's own ability and temperament made Zhou Wendong admire him. In recent years, in Wuzhaibao, she was a woman in charge of the place. Not only did the people's hearts conquered, but also managed the kuyin economy in an orderly manner, which is something that ordinary women do not have.

Gu Yunniang has become more and more calm in recent years, and the charm of the young woman has become more outstanding. She said softly: "I'm sorry, Mr. Zhou."

The bills in my hand are exquisite in paper and vary in denominations, but each one is the same in format. The first one is printed with the word "coupon" and pattern, and the middle two sides are printed with vertical grids, with exchange font size, silver numbers, year, month and day, etc. The last one is also printed with the word "Xinxing" and is stamped with three types of seals from the bank. In addition, there are secret seals and anti-counterfeiting watermarks to ensure the safety of the bill.

Gu Yunniang looked through it carefully and after a long time, she couldn't help but sigh: "This bill of exchange is really exquisitely made, especially the anti-counterfeiting technique is so clever. It's really hard for Mr. Zhou!"

Zhou Wendong said: "I dare not, this is what the shareholders have gathered together, and it is not the credit of Zhou!"

The Daming Money House Industry is well developed. Each company has very rich experience in the operation and anti-counterfeiting of money houses and has its own mature and strict system. Wuzhaibao Bank originally had many Shanxi merchants joining, and many families have experience in operating money houses. Anti-counterfeiting of bills is not a difficult task for these people.

Of course, a bill of exchange carries thousands of taels of silver. The bill is remitted here and used as a deposit to repay it in another place. How to ensure safety and reliability, anti-counterfeiting and anti-falsity, and no mistakes, is related to the credit of the bill number and the loss of customers' wealth. The shareholders of Wuzhaibao Bank have also put a lot of effort into the operation of the bill number.

They thought for a long time and finally took three rigorous anti-counterfeiting and anti-counterfeiting measures, including writing, secret seal, and sealing. First of all, there are unified standards, formats and contents filled in. They cannot be altered at will, nor can they be forged and forged. If any discovery is made, either the bill of exchange will be invalidated or sued the official for investigation. In addition, the bill of exchange numbers and the person who writes bills are fixed. The person's handwriting must be reported to each branch of the handwriting so that everyone can know his handwriting and can distinguish the characteristics of his handwriting. Once you look at the handwriting on the bill of exchange, you can identify the authenticity of the bill of exchange. In addition, the person who writes the bill of exchange must also sign the bill of exchange in person and not allow others to write on it.

There is also a confidentiality method of "anti-fake secret seal", which is a confidentiality measure using Chinese characters as symbols. Each bill of exchange has a code for issuance time and a password for the remittance silver. Only the accountant and manager of the promissory note number know it, and it is constantly changing. For example, the number of silver is "After checking more, considering it, then doing it" is used to represent the ten numbers of "one, two, three, and seven, eight, nine" is used to represent the four units of "ten thousand, thousands, hundreds, and ten". The twelve words "beware of the ticket, don't forget to look at the chapters carefully" represent the twelve months of the year. The thirty words "I laugh at the world's weak feelings, the way of heaven is the most fair. I am obsessed with my heart and seek self-interest, conspiring to harm others. Good and evil are always rewarded, and it is clear in the end" represent the thirty days of each month.

Gu Yunniang had a bill of exchange with six words "Laiguoshili" and "Shuhe" written on it. Others were confused when they saw it. But using the "secret cover" stipulated by the Wuzhaibao Bank Number to compare and interpret it, the content was clear at a glance. The four words "Laiguoshili" represent the exchange of 7,000,200 silver. The two words "Shuhe" represent the exchange of bills and exchange of November 18th.

In addition, there is a "watermark" printed on the bill of exchange paper, which is very skillful and difficult to prevent. Each bill of exchange is also stamped with a silver stamp, which is very finely engraved, and it is also extremely difficult to prevent. In the end, even if the bill of exchange is lost, the holder can declare it invalid as long as he immediately notifies the bill of exchange number of the bill of exchange immediately. If the thief uses it, it is like throwing himself into a trap. If someone finds it, he will not be able to withdraw the money because he does not know the time and amount of the remittance. The remittant loses the bill of exchange, and the original bill of exchange number issued has the stub registered when the remittance is remitted. As long as it is verified that it is true, the remittance cannot be lost at all.

Such a strict anti-counterfeiting and confidentiality measures ensure the economic interests of both the owner and the guest, and are convenient to use. No wonder it was widely welcomed by the world once it was launched. Since the beginning of this year, Huang Laifu also began to use the exchange tickets of Wuzhai Fort. After all, he needed to transport a lot of silver back and forth between Ningwu Pass and Wuzhai Fort, and it was very inconvenient to use military escorts, and using exchange tickets was much simpler. At present, Ningwu Pass Bank has become a frequent visitor place for Huang Laifu. Of course, what Huang Laifu miss most is the bank cards of later generations, which is the real convenience.

Huang Laifu has this need. As the director of the Wuzhaibao Bank, Gu Yunniang naturally has to come to Wuzhaibao Bank to exchange exchanges frequently. Of course, with Gu Yunniang's current status, she only needed to send her family to handle it, but she was worried that she would handle such exchanges by herself.

Among the directors of various bureaus who are still in Wuzhai Fort, except for Zhou Wendong and Gu Yunniang, most of the rest have followed Huang Laifu to the capital. Although the headquarters of each bureau is still in Wuzhai Fort, since Huang Laifu mostly runs in Ningwu Pass and other places, the directors of these bureaus, as Huang Laifu's shogunate, naturally have to follow him often. Those who stay in Wuzhai Fort are mostly respected or capable subordinates of the directors of each bureau.

It is also the Wuzhai Fort that is too important. The annual silver, money, rice and grain revenue and expenditure are astronomical. Huang Laifu’s source is this place, and Wuzhai Fort is also the hereditary place of the Huang family, so Huang Laifu has always allowed Gu Yunniang to stay in Wuzhai Fort. Over the past year, there are few opportunities for couples to meet, which makes Huang Laifu and Gu Yunniang unable to resist the pain of longing for love.

Gu Yunniang thought that everything in Wuzhai Fort was on track now, and she should talk to her husband if she had the chance and let him take him to Ningwu Pass. The money management of Wuzhai Fort can be kept under Qu Xiuhe's management, and at most she came to the place to inspect several times a year. Anyway, it is also close to Ningwu Pass to Wuzhai Fort.

The two chatted for a few more times, and finally, Gu Yunniang, surrounded by the maids and servants, left the bank in a carriage. On the west side of the bank flower hall, there was a corridor to open the carriage and drove directly to the street.

When he drove outside, he saw Gu Yunniang's carriage coming. The pedestrians on the street saluted respectfully. When Huang Laifu was not in Wuzhai Fort, Gu Yunniang, as the mistress, was the backbone of the military and civilians of Wuzhai Fort. Now the days of the military and civilians in the fort are really in the sky and the other on the ground. However, the soldiers and civilians feel uneasy in their hearts, as if there was no such day. In the past, Huang Laifu was in Wuzhai Fort, and everyone was at ease. Now Huang Laifu is often not in Wuzhai Fort, and it is replaced by Gu Yunniang as their backbone.

As soon as the carriage and horses returned to the Huang Mansion, Gu Yunniang had not yet sat down when she heard a maid coming in happily and said repeatedly: "Madam, I am very happy!"

Gu Yunniang asked, "What's the matter, fuss?"

"Sir, you're back!"
Chapter completed!