Looking at the backs of Duke Xingguo and his group of people leaving, the middle-aged man's eyes turned, then he squeezed out a smile and said kindly to the cloth merchant on the ground: "I said Lao Liu, why are you still kneeling? Get up quickly, get up quickly!"

This attitude was completely different from before. It was like he was just now trying to drive someone out of the house, and it was not him who collected some interest.

Old Liu, the cloth merchant, named Liu Mindong, was a little surprised to see him like this, but he stood up as he said and helped his wife up.

The middle-aged man saw him stand up and smiled and said to him, "Old Liu, you are lucky and you actually got help from Duke Xingguo. My master will definitely not offend Duke Xingguo. But to be honest, it is natural to pay back the debt. Therefore, the money owed must be paid. But if you promise something, I can make the decision and I will waive you the interest you have in the future. What about?"

"What's the matter?" Liu Mindong asked quickly after hearing this.

Now the principal and interest owes another 100,000 taels of silver. If the profit continues to rise, it will be another 150,000 taels of silver by the end of next year. To be honest, the pressure is too great.

Therefore, if the subsequent interest can be exempted, it is of course the best.

After hearing this, the middle-aged man said to Liu Mindong: "My family sells cloths with you and goes to sea. If you have money, everyone will make money together. In this way, you will be exempted from your family's interest. How about?"

As soon as he heard this, Liu Mindong understood.

It turns out that I am not kind-hearted, but seeing a greater opportunity to make a fortune.

With the "talisman" given by Duke Xingguo, as long as you don't encounter natural disasters, going to sea this time will definitely make a big profit.

However, even though he understood this, Liu Mindong had no confidence to refuse. Moreover, he was also a businessman. If he knew that if he did this, he would benefit both sides, so he agreed.

When the middle-aged man heard this, he immediately laughed and clasped his fists to Liu Mindong and said, "Happy New Year!"

Then he took his men away and quickly disappeared on the snowy streets.

After watching the group of people leave, Liu Mindong's wife suddenly wiped her tears and said to him: "It's really a blessing from our ancestors, and she actually got mercy from Duke Xingguo. We must offer Duke Xingguo a long life tablet to Duke Xingguo to bless the fairness, peace and safety of Xingguo, and life is better for a hundred years!"

After hearing this, Liu Mindong sighed, nodded and said, "We don't have much ability to help Duke Xingguo, so we can only pray to Duke Xingguo for a long life!"

Who would help him?

If you weren't enthusiastic, you would have passed by.

It was really a blessing for Duke Xingguo to take action. Otherwise, don’t say that this year would not be over, and you might be driven out and left on the streets. Thinking of possible consequences, Liu Mindong didn’t dare to think about it any further.

……………………

At this time, Zhang Mingwei didn't think about asking others to repay him at all, but was just thinking about what he had encountered just now.

According to the information he found in later generations, in later generations, 4 times the interest rate for loans in the same period is considered usury. Take one-year loans as an example. If the interest rate exceeds 17.4%, it is usury, which is illegal.

However, in this ancient times, the interest rate of 17.4% was really not too conscientious.

Ull-interest first appeared in the Spring and Autumn Period in the form of currency, when the annual interest rate of borrowing was roughly between 50% and 100%.

This way of making money comes very easily, so it attracts more powerful people to join the industry.

During the Northern Wei Dynasty during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the phenomenon of usury was very common, and the interest rates were set very high, and many people lost their money because of borrowing usury. As the bankruptcy group grew, the rulers of the Northern Wei Dynasty believed that usury had affected social harmony and stability, so they stipulated that the annual interest rate of loans should not exceed 100%.

During the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the government set up a special fund called "public party capital" for official loans, and its function was somewhat similar to that of later banks. The public party capital was managed by Lingshi Jing of each state. 50,000 yuan was borrowed, and 4,000 yuan was charged a monthly interest rate of about 100%, with an annual interest rate of about 100%. This is an act of the government, not to mention the public.

The general loan interest rate in the early Northern Song Dynasty was generally maintained at around 100%. Until Wang Anshi's reform, his Qingmiao Law stipulated that the loan interest rate was 20%, which greatly reduced the loan interest rate.

However, Wang Anshi gave local government loan indicators and asked them to complete the loan task. Therefore, in order to complete the task, the local government also saw profitable, so it forced the people to borrow once in the spring and once in the autumn, and the interest suddenly became 40%.

Not to mention, when local governments implement the loan interest, they are often not added privately. Therefore, it is reasonable that Wang Anshi's failure in reforms has failed.

By the Yuan Dynasty, the Mongolian nobles distributed "Otu money". The annual interest rate was as high as 100%, and the next year, the interest rate was converted into the principal, and the principal was regenerated. It was called "lamb profit" and "lamb profit". Once the households were in debt, they would mostly "destroy the family" because they could not repay it.

It was not until the Ming Dynasty that the phenomenon of usury improved significantly. The loan interest rates recorded in historical records remained between 20% and 36%.

However, in the loan incident that Zhang Mingwei encountered today, the loan interest rate reached 50%, which is also considered usury.

Even if compared with later generations, no matter which dynasty it is, it is all usury!

Needless to say, the harm of usury is to rob the poor and help the rich, the rich, and the most direct way to make money by the powerful.

Thinking of this, Zhang Mingwei turned to Liu Jin and said, "Let's look back and see what the current situation of the loan interest rate in Daming is like?"

"Okay!" Liu Jin quickly agreed and wrote down the matter.

When I turned two streets and saw the Forbidden City, I suddenly heard something coming from behind.

Turning around, a group of people rushed over and there were vague shouts.

"Master, they are Lord Fang and his son!" Liu Jin was a hunter, and his eyes were all practiced, so he could see clearly, and he immediately said with a smile.

Sure enough, at this time, you could already hear Fang Yizhi's shout: "Master, walk slowly, teacher, walk slowly..."

The joy can be heard in the shouts.

When Zhang Mingwei saw this, he stopped and waited for them to come.

However, he was a little strange.

Because he was a little late to enter the palace, and then he delayed on the road. Logically speaking, all the people who received the invitation today should have entered the palace. Why is Yizhi and his son even later than him?

Perhaps because of Zhang Mingwei, his two disciples, including Fang Kongzhao, rode horses instead of sitting in sedan chairs. They soon arrived in front of Zhang Mingwei, quickly greeted him and said "Happy New Year".

"Happy New Year!" Zhang Mingwei replied with a smile, and then asked casually, "Why are you here so late?"

Hearing this, Fang Yizhi immediately looked at his father, not daring to steal the words.

When he saw Fang Kongxu smiled and said to Zhang Mingwei, "Regarding the words of his teacher, the disciples and the dogs have been busy with coins. They just went to the teacher's mansion and made a trip, so they came late."

Hearing this, Zhang Mingwei couldn't help but be a little surprised and immediately said to them: "It's New Year's Eve, and you don't have a rest, and you are still busy with this matter?"

Even ordinary people attach great importance to New Year's Eve.

The Fang Kongzhai family is even more of a family of officials and a great family and a great career, so they will definitely pay great attention to it. Unexpectedly, these two people were busy with work all the time. It was really surprising.

Hearing the surprise in Zhang Mingwei's voice, Fang Kongxi's smile could not be covered up. He turned to his son and said, "Come on, look at it for his mentor and see if it's OK?"

"Okay!" Fang Yizhi had been unable to wait any longer, so he quickly agreed and carefully untied a strip of cloth tied to him.

Zhang Mingwei looked at it and was a little curious. What is going on?

Suddenly, he thought of something, but it seemed a bit impossible!

When Fang Yizhi saw that he untied the strip of cloth on the horse's back, revealing a rectangular box wrapped inside, and respectfully handed it to his father.

Then Fang Kongxi took it with both hands and respectfully presented it to Zhang Mingwei, and said excitedly: "Please look at it, my teacher, I wonder if this coin is OK?"

Zhang Mingwei was very surprised when he heard this. He didn't expect that it was really a currency. He was created so quickly?

According to his estimate, he thought that it would take at least half a month before the two of them would have a result.

So he couldn't help but become curious. Could it be that it's really OK?

With this idea, he took it over, opened the box and started to look at it on the spot.

I saw that there was a layer of satin inside the box, and it was really coins on a row of surfaces.

Zhang Mingwei picked up a copper coin and looked at it, then picked up the silver coin and gold coins to observe one by one. He found that Fang Kongzhao and his son had indeed stamped out the coin according to his request.

Although it is not as good as the coins of later generations, it is not comparable to those made by casting on the market today.

"Not bad, not bad!" Zhang Mingwei looked at it, very happy, and praised while looking at the coins.

Fang Kongzhao and Fang Yizhi heard this and looked at each other, both showing a gratifying smile.

Although they were invited by Emperor Chongzhen to participate in this Spring Festival Gala, they also knew that Song Yingxing and his son were the ones who worked the most on the steam engine.

To be honest, they were a little unwilling to accept it, so they worked hard on the coins. They were working day and night, and before participating in the Spring Festival Gala, they finally stamped the coins to achieve the desired effect.

In this way, both of them can participate in this Spring Festival Gala with confidence.

Now that they have received praise from Duke Xingguo again, the two of them are naturally very happy!
Chapter completed!