Liu Zhiping said respectfully: "The two adults have a total of 127,500 taels of silver! Although it is a little less, it is also the only thing that our Shanghai business community wants to accept it. Please accept it on behalf of the court!"

Hu Keqin's face was as deep as water. He glanced at the film, put it aside, and said coldly: "Since that's the case, I will not be cold to you. The Japanese invaded Ryukyu, and the court wanted to send troops. Once the troops moved, it cost a thousand yuan a day. The court's expenses were insufficient. He decided to issue 5 million taels of national debt in Shanghai!"

Liu Zhiping asked, "But I don't know how to calculate interest, debt period, mortgage, and discount?" His voice was cold at this time, and his back was straight, without any ruthlessness.

"The annual interest rate is 45% and 5% and repayment is due for five years. As for the discount, it is like the past few years, 10% off!"

"Four-five yuan, five years, 10% off!" Liu Zhiping repeated Hu Keqin's words, and a wry smile appeared on his face. He looked at the people behind him: "This condition is not good, I don't know who can share the worries for the court."

"Mr. Liu, we can't do it either!"

"You understand here, the monetary root is very tight!"

"It's even worse for me, money is very biting my hands!"

"Mr. Liu, I'm still pointing at you to borrow a loan. The court can't do it anymore!"

Looking at the merchants below, Hu Keqin's heart was extremely cold. He had considered that there might be some trouble along the way, but he didn't expect the situation in front of him. Judging from the attitudes of these merchants, it was obvious that they had reached an agreement before coming, and the leader was Liu Zhiping from the Houde Bank.

Seeing that it was in a deadlock, Shen Hongmao hurriedly interjected: "Mr. Liu, the price was the same for the previous year, the previous year, and last year. Why was it possible at that time and not now?"

"Mr. Shen! The time is different, so the price will naturally be different!" Liu Zhiping replied in a deep voice: "Do you know how much can you buy a five-year 100-treasury bond bank that expired in July 1903 in Shanghai's treasury bond market six days ago?"

"How much?"

"Forty taels, the final ending is forty taels!" Liu Zhiping's cold voice echoed in the back hall: "Master Shen, think about it, the price of the treasury bonds is now. How can we sell treasury bonds with a 100% discount? If we can't sell them, we only eat them, but who can get five million taels of silver at once?"

"This? How could this happen? How could the government bonds fall like this?"

"I don't know this, otherwise our virtue would not have lost so much money in this matter. However, according to my speculation, it should be that the grain prices in Shanghai were rising some time ago, and all factories had to issue more rice stickers for workers, which led to a tight monetary policy in the market. Many people sold treasury bonds to collect cash, which led to a plummeting treasury bond!"

Shen Hongmao was completely confused by the other party's series of reasonings. Although he was talented, neither the various schools of thought nor the Confucian classics could help him at this time. Although he felt something was wrong about what Liu Zhiping said just now, he couldn't tell what was wrong. In the end, he had to look at Hu Keqin who was beside him for help.

"Mr. Liu, what conditions do you think you need to be able to afford the treasury bonds?"

"This—" Liu Zhiping showed a embarrassed look on his face: "Mr. Hu, the money supply in Shanghai is tight at the moment, and it is not a good time to issue treasury bonds. According to villains, it will be delayed for two to three months. At that time, the conditions will be much better if the issuance of treasury bonds are much better."

Now even Shen Hongmao could see that the other party was a trick of trying to get, and using troops to fight is not business, so how could he delay it? He was about to speak out and scold the other party, but he heard the voice of Hu Keqin beside him.

"When the imperial court uses troops, it is impossible to delay!"

"Then, the government bonds on the market have recovered a little, and it has reached 50%. However, if you pay another 5 million taels at once, it will definitely fall again. It's just that this is the court's business. I will take responsibility for my virtue and give a discount of 55% or less. However, the interest rate must be increased by 5% per year. I wonder what the adults think?"

"Okay, I'll agree to you. But with such a high discount, I must issue an additional five million taels of debt!"

Hearing this, the others in the hall breathed a little more heavily. Seeing that a huge business was settled, it was not a matter of interest. When the treasury bond market returned to normal, it would be a profit of 5 million taels at one move. I just didn't know how much such a large piece of fatty meat would leave for others. When I thought of this, many people's eyes turned red.

"Sir, please rest assured. I can find a way to raise half of my virtues. The rest will be raised by others. Within fifteen days, the money will be raised." At this point, Liu Zhiping turned around and asked everyone: "Everyone, I have issued a military order to Mr. Hu. You can't collapse my platform at that time!"

"Okay! Liu Gong said, what else can't do it!"

"You have to hold back the matters of the court even if you grit your teeth!"

Everyone did not expect that Liu Zhiping would be so generous this time, spitting out half of the fat to make everyone share, and his morale suddenly increased by six or seven points, and the chaotic sound almost lifted the roof of the back hall.

Twenty minutes later, the merchants retreated, and only Liu Zhiping and Shen Hongmao were left in the back hall. Shen Hongmao, who could not control himself, said loudly: "Mr. Hu, why did you agree to those guys? They are clearly extorting the court!"

"I know, but I have no choice. The court needs to get the money right away!"

"Then arrest these guys and ask them to pay the money!"

"No!" Hu Keqin replied: "These people also have backers, and they act like they donating happily from the beginning. When we detain people, we will ask them to pay 700,000 or 800,000 taels at most, and the debt issuance will be ruined. The bank's money is not in the vault, but in circulation. If it is strong, the result will be more than half of the enterprises in Shanghai and even Jiangnan. Millions of workers are unemployed and take to the streets. Then the court will no longer have to send troops to Ryukyu. It is too late to deal with these unemployed workers!"

Shen Hongmao sat down in disgust. He now understood why those people expressed their willingness to pledge from the beginning. It turned out that they were willing to retreat to advance in the future. He still had too little dealing with them. He sighed: "Is there no way to deal with these guys? Just let them blackmail them?"

"There's nothing this time!" Hu Keqin sighed: "At least I have no choice. The court is really too anxious, otherwise there will be a turning point after a while!"

Shen Hongmao nodded. He now understood the terrible and hatefulness of these bankers. They were like leeches. Whenever they had the chance, they would attach themselves to people and suck their blood clean.

At night, Shen Hongmao sat alone at the table, drinking a few plates of side dishes. He was preparing to make a living from his power to do his job properly, but he didn't expect to end up with no power to fight back. If the conditions for issuing the debt are sent back to Hanjing, the censors at the Censorate would not have scolded him.

"Mr. Shen, there are guests outside asking for a visit!"

The voice of a servant suddenly came from outside the door. Shen Hongmao raised his head. He was already drunk and tried hard to open his eyes wide and asked, "Who is there? No see!"

The servant hesitated for a moment, and the silver ingot he had just received in his arms played the role he deserved.

"Mr. Shen, the guest said that his surname is Chen, he came from Myanmar and is your friend!"

"What, Chen Fusheng, why did he come to Shanghai!" Shen Hongmao's drunkenness disappeared all of a sudden. He stood up and said, "Please invite guests in!"

A moment later, the servant led a man in black and walked in. It was Chen Zaixing. Shen Hongmao walked down the steps in surprise and asked, "It's really you, aren't you a royal husband in Myanmar? Why did you come to Shanghai!"

"What's wrong with Mr. Wang? You can't come to Shanghai? I'm here to discuss a business this time. I happened to hear that you're here, so I'll come to see my old friend!" Chen Zaixing grabbed Shen Hongmao's arm and walked into the house side by side. He happened to see the wine pot and side dishes on the table, and smiled and said, "A drink at night, are you still very elegant? I can't bother you tonight!"

"Brother Fusheng has been in Myanmar for many years. As long as I don't mind my wine and sour food, it's good!"

"What did Brother Nian say? I, Chen Fusheng, are you like this? The wine depends on who you drink with. Today, if you still think the wine is not good, it is my problem!" Chen Zaixing sat down and called the servant to take another pair of bowls and chopsticks. Seeing his old friend's passionate look, Shen Hongmao couldn't help but feel warm in his heart, and he couldn't help but want to drink with his old friend and water the bunch in his chest.

After the two of them had a few glasses of wine, the strangeness that they had not seen for several years gradually faded away, and the atmosphere gradually became lively. Shen Hongmao asked casually: "Fusheng, what kind of business are you doing when you come to Shanghai this time?"

"It's nothing more than some Myanmar cargo. The Yunnan-Burma Railway has not been built yet, and bulk cargo still has to be carried by sea. In fact, I have to come to Shanghai once or twice a year." Chen Zaixing said this and asked, "Then what are you doing when you come to Shanghai this time? I just saw you drinking alone, and you were depressed. Could it be that things were not going well?"

Shen Hongmao did not answer immediately, but just drank the wine in the glass. Chen Zaixing did not urge him, but just helped the other party fill the wine glass. Shen Hongmao picked up the wine glass but did not drink it. Suddenly, he said hatefully: "These greedy sworms!"

Chen Zaixing pretended to be puzzled and asked, "Silfish? Where can I start with this?"

"Brother Fusheng, you don't know anything!" Shen Hongmao then sieges the Japanese invaded Ryukyu. The court sent troops and lacked military expenditure, so he had to issue additional national bonds. However, these banks took the opportunity to ask for prices everywhere and increase the discount on national bonds to 50% of them. Finally, Shen Hongmao said angrily: "In the past, I heard that these merchants took advantage of others' danger and seized their property. Today I really saw it. Even the court's money dared to cheat, and what else could they not do?"
Chapter completed!