"Little Xuan, you can't do this!"
In the Yunshan residence, Han Lizheng listened to Li Zexuan and Hu Hanyun's conversation and quickly said, "Little Xuan, you might not know the situation of the other villages. Take the Liujia village for example. Their village just joined your fief not long ago. During the previous autumn harvest, they still paid rent according to the previous landlord's request. In addition, this year's harvest is generally not good, making things worse.
Their place is not rich to begin with. It's already not bad that they have enough food to eat. If you ask them to get so many oilcloths, even if they sell all the food in their house, it won't be enough! Little Xuan, since you thought of this method to help the villagers increase their income, then you must also want all the villagers to receive this favor, right? Therefore, Father-in-law still hopes that you can consider this matter carefully! "
After Li Zexuan heard this, he was silent for a while. He secretly thought that he had taken things for granted.
The price of cloth in the beginning of the Tang Dynasty was very cheap. The price of a spool of fine silk was the price of a bucket of rice. That is, three to four copper coins could buy a spool of silk cloth. As for the coarse oilcloths used to build the greenhouses, it was even cheaper. The cost of a greenhouse was actually only two to three hundred copper coins.
Li Zexuan's family had a ready-made clothing store, so he naturally knew the current price of cloth in Chang 'an. It was because he knew that he subconsciously thought that the commoners could grit their teeth and bear the cost of a greenhouse. Two to three hundred copper coins was equivalent to a few thousand dollars in the modern era. If a family squeezed together, they should be able to gather together.
But he neglected a problem. The extent of exploitation of the farmers by the landlords of this era was far from comparable to the modern era. In this era, people who could not afford to eat enough and wear clothes were everywhere! Was two to three hundred copper coins really a small amount? For some families, two to three hundred copper coins could be enough for their family to eat for a year!!
"Father-in-law is right. This son-in-law has indeed not thought it through!"
Li Zexuan thought for a moment and took the initiative to admit his mistake. He continued, "How about this, this son-in-law will take out a thousand strings of money and leave it with Father-in-law. If the villagers are willing to build greenhouses and have difficulties at home, they can come to you to borrow a sum of money. Each family can borrow at most five hundred copper coins. They don't need to pay interest, as long as they can repay the principal within a year! Father-in-law, what do you think about this? "
Capital loans were not unique to modern times. In ancient times, this was not a new thing at all. The reason why Meng Chang Jun, one of the Four Young Masters of the Warring States Period, was able to raise three thousand retainers and recruit talents from all walks of life, was because of the business of lending money and collecting interest. According to historical records, there was a year when Xue Di failed to pay interest. Meng Chang Jun sent people to collect interest, but they still received an interest of a hundred thousand. It could be seen that the scale of lending money was very large.
Compared to that, Li Zexuan was not lending money at all. He was doing a good deed. After all, he did not charge any interest!
Han Lizheng said with a smile, "That's great! In this way, Little Xuan, you are truly working for the well-being of the common people! "
"Hey! Young Master, you are so kind. The banks in Chang 'an City lend money to people, and they ask for 10% interest every month! "
Old Hu said with a grin.
To be honest, he was a little tempted by this preferential offer.
Regarding private lending, the Qin and Han Dynasties was the first time in China's history that usury was at its peak. After the Tang Dynasty, private lending developed even more rapidly. Various banks and pawnshops were set up in Xi City. Hence, it became the earliest financial street in China.
Of course, in order to suppress usury, the imperial court also imposed many restrictions on private lending. There were clear records that the legal interest rate during this time was 10% per month, and 120% per year. Compared to the interest rate during the Qin and Han Dynasties, this interest rate was more friendly. However, to the common people, this interest rate was still relatively high. Hence, when Old Hu heard that Li Zexuan wanted to lend money to the villagers without paying interest, he could not help but be tempted.
After all, if he borrowed money from the banks, he would have to pay back six hundred in interest a year later. In this way, borrowing money was profiting!
Li Zexuan smiled and changed the topic, "Uncle Hu, Father-in-law, take a closer look at this greenhouse. If there is anything you don't understand, you can ask me. In the next few days, this greenhouse will be promoted to all the villagers. When the time comes, I will have to trouble you!"
Han Lizheng nodded and said, "Okay! Old Hu and I will take a closer look! "
Although he and Hu Hanyun had an unruly time when they were young, later on, they obediently stayed at home and farmed. They could be considered as genuine farmers. Imitating others to grow vegetables was a piece of cake for them.
… … …
The next day, Old Hu went out early in the morning. Today, he did not follow the village's young men into the mountains as a guard. He had more important things to do, and that was to buy cloth.
There was no ready-made oilcloth, so he bought coarse cloth, and then some tung oil, and went home to make it himself.
When he went there, it was an empty oxcart. When he came back, it was full of coarse cloth, and there were two barrels of tung oil hanging on the side of the cart.
"Yo! Isn't this Old Hu? Why did you buy so much cloth? Are you making clothes for your son? That's not right. Why didn't you buy silk cloth, but so much coarse cloth? "
On the way, it was inevitable that he would meet some acquaintances. Old Hu usually laughed and said carelessly, "Haha! Recently, the family is short of firewood, so I bought some coarse cloth to burn at home! "
If it wasn't someone from the village, Old Hu was determined not to reveal the secret of growing vegetables in the greenhouse.
It was just that his response was a little too shocking.
"Buying coarse cloth to burn as firewood?"
Hearing Old Hu's response, people all suspected that Old Hu's brain was fried. Although the situation of Old Hu's family was much better this year, it was not to the point of being extravagant enough to burn coarse cloth as firewood, right?
"My son's mother! I'm back! Come out and help me carry the things ~! "
The road from the Chang 'an official road to the Han Village was now flat and wide. After a while, Old Hu returned home. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he shouted at the top of his voice.
"Hey, Master, you're back so soon?"
When Liu Yue`e heard the noise, she hurriedly ran out of the house. When she saw the mountain of coarse cloth on the oxcart, she was stunned. "This … this, husband, how much did you buy these cloth for ~?"
Hu Hanyun wiped away his sweat and said with a grin, "Hey! It's only three strings of coins worth of cloth. The shopkeeper said that if I bought more, he would give me more, so I bought more. It's not a loss, not a loss ~! "
"It's not a loss? What did you say when you left? You only bought two strings of coins worth of cloth. Now that you've bought such a big cart, what are you going to do with the extra cloth? "
Liu Yuee said angrily.
"Do what? Burn! Bah, I'm going to grow vegetables! "
Old Hu answered this question too many times along the way, so he couldn't help but say that word directly.
…
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