My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 272 This Paper Currency Is the Foundation of the Prince's Rebellion

When the news that Crown Prince Li Chengqian issued paper money in Liaodong spread to Chang'an like a gust of wind.

The Five Surnames and Seven Families, these aristocratic families that stood at the top of the Tang Dynasty, were suddenly thrown into tension and anxiety.

Qinghe County.

The seven family heads gathered together again.

This is probably why we have gathered so frequently over the years.

Since the last time, no one would have thought that they would meet again so soon because of the prince's matter.

Before, it was based on Mr. Cui’s birthday.

This time, no other excuses are needed.

In the Qinghe Cui family's magnificent meeting hall with its carved beams and painted rafters, the atmosphere was as heavy as a lead block.

In the main seat, Qinghe Cui had a stern face and sharp eyes like an eagle, slowly sweeping over the people present. Below, Longxi Li, Zhaojun Li, Boling Cui, Fanyang Lu, Xingyang Zheng and Taiyuan Wang sat in order, all with solemn expressions.

Patriarch Cui was the first to break the silence. His voice was deep and powerful, as if it came from a deep ancient well. "Everyone, the Crown Prince's issuance of paper money in Liaodong is by no means an ordinary move. Its impact on our family is like a turbulent undercurrent that is quietly threatening our foundation."

Longxi Li nodded slightly, with a trace of worry in his eyes: "Qinghe Cui is right. Once this paper currency gains a foothold in Liaodong and then spreads throughout the Tang Dynasty, the business landscape will surely undergo earth-shaking changes."

"The banks and businesses that we have worked so hard to run for generations all rely on the traditional monetary system. If paper money becomes popular, the foundation of our industry will be shaky."

There has never been a shortage of smart people in this era, let alone inherited families like the Five Surnames and Seven Families.

Although paper money is new, a little analysis can reveal possible results about its function.

For the Five Surnames and Seven Families, the biggest problem is the worry about the collapse of the traditional business system.

Although the aristocratic families of the Tang Dynasty all looked down on businessmen, in fact, business occupied an extremely important position in the aristocratic families.

Aristocratic families occupied a dominant position in the long-term economic structure of the Tang Dynasty. Their business empire was extensive, involving money houses, shops, trade and other fields, and all were built on the traditional metal currency system.

Once the prince issues paper money and it becomes popular, it will fundamentally change the patterns and rules of commercial transactions.

Taking money shops as an example, the money shops of aristocratic families made profits by storing and lending metal currencies, and they had a mature system for controlling and operating currency.

The emergence of paper money broke this inherent pattern. Its lightness and portability made the advantages of traditional money houses in currency storage and transportation disappear.

If paper money becomes the mainstream currency, aristocratic money houses may face the dilemma of shrinking business and declining profits.

In terms of business operations, traditional trade settlement relies on the weighing and counting of metal currencies. The use of paper money simplifies the transaction process, which may make it easier for some small merchants to enter the market and intensify market competition.

The market barriers that have long been formed by aristocratic business families relying on resource monopoly and financial advantages will be impacted by the business changes brought about by paper money, and their market share will be at risk of being eroded.

Zhao Jun Li then said: "Not only that, the right to issue currency is the lifeblood of the country's economy."

"The prince's move is undoubtedly an attempt to control the economic power of a region. Over time, if he uses this to build up his own power, when he ascends the throne, with his determination to reform, he will definitely take action against our family and greatly weaken our influence."

This has always been the biggest worry of the Five Surnames and Seven Families. The prince clearly does not intend to rely on the power of the aristocratic families. He wants to abandon the aristocratic families and start anew.

What we are talking about here is not just the five surnames and seven families, but the structure of the aristocratic families in the Tang Dynasty.

This is nothing less than a class change, and is no different from reopening the country.

You have to know that the founding of a dynasty is a reshuffle of power.

Now the prince has a very obvious and strong intention to redistribute the power in this world. This is something that the Five Surnames and Seven Aristocrats, and even more aristocratic families, cannot tolerate.

Boling Cui stroked his beard and added solemnly: "In recent years, the prince's series of actions in Liaodong have already touched our interests. The issuance of paper money this time is a blatant challenge to our bottom line. We must not sit idly by and wait for death. We must take decisive action."

Aristocratic families such as the Five Surnames and Seven Names had deep connections and influence in the court. They maintained a delicate political balance through marriage and alliances with the royal family and officials, forming a certain check and balance on the central power.

Li Chengqian's act of issuing paper money reflected that he had greater independent decision-making power and economic control in the Liaodong region.

This made the aristocratic families worry that if the prince used this opportunity to further expand his power and establish an economic force independent of the existing political system, it would disrupt the original balance of power.

They were worried that after the crown prince ascended the throne, he would use this powerful economic power to weaken the political influence of the aristocratic families, thus threatening the political status of the aristocratic families.

This made the Five Surnames and Seven Families worry about the inheritance of power and the continuation of the family.

Aristocratic families attach great importance to the continuation of the family and the inheritance of power, and hope to ensure the family's long-term position on the political stage through various means.

The prince's act of issuing paper money was seen as an adventurous move that broke with convention.

If the prince successfully promotes paper money and gains huge political capital, it may have an adverse impact on the political inheritance of the aristocratic family.

They were worried that the prince would use this opportunity to implement a series of reform measures to change the existing political selection and power distribution mechanisms, making it difficult for children from aristocratic families to enter official careers as smoothly as before, thus endangering the political continuity of the family.

Moreover, the Tang Dynasty regarded Confucianism as orthodoxy, and following ancestral rules was considered an important principle for maintaining national stability and social order.

Respect for ancestral systems and orthodoxy will be undermined. The prince's unauthorized issuance of paper money in Liaodong without the formal approval of the court can be considered a serious violation of the ancestral system.

This behavior undermines the traditional political and economic order. If it is not stopped, it will trigger more violations, leading to social disorder and power confusion.

The aristocratic families took it as their responsibility to maintain ancestral rules and orthodoxy, and therefore they firmly opposed the prince's behavior.

Fan Yanglu frowned slightly, thought for a moment and said, "However, as the crown prince, he has the support of His Majesty. We must act with caution. If we are not careful, we may bring disaster upon ourselves."

Xingyang Zheng also nodded in agreement: "Master Lu is right. We must not act rashly, we need to think carefully and make a comprehensive plan to effectively suppress the prince and ensure our own safety."

Everyone fell into deep thought. There was silence in the meeting room. Only the candlelight swayed in the breeze, making faint crackling sounds, as if playing the prelude to this invisible struggle.

Aristocratic families are in a privileged class in society. They maintain their special status and social class divisions through strict family inheritance, etiquette norms and identity identification.

The issuance and widespread use of paper money could blur the boundaries between social classes.

Although the prince used the name of the bank's "notes", this little trick was not worth mentioning to the heads of the families.

It's easy to see the truth here.

The biggest problem is that even though the crown prince has declared himself king in Liaodong, your majesty still sides with the crown prince in his heart. The heads of the families all understand the reason.

The prince's excellence has broken the conventional level. Judging from his current deeds, no matter which dynasty he is placed in, he is the most outstanding prince, without a doubt.

If they were His Majesty, they would also choose the Crown Prince to inherit the throne.

"It would be great if the prince didn't do this."

Zhao Jun Li sighed softly.

These words touched everyone's heart.

If the prince did not stand against them and maintained the current situation where the emperor and the aristocratic families ruled the world together, then the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty would surely rise to a new height.

If that's the case, what's wrong with giving up King Wei?

Even if power is suppressed, so what?

The prince will not live more than a hundred years.

The Tang Dynasty had more than one monarch.

They can also benefit from the strength and prosperity of the Tang Dynasty. Everyone is in the same boat.

But unfortunately, the prince opposed them in every aspect.

As the head of the noble family, Qinghe Cui frowned and was the first to break the silence. He rested his hands on the table, looked at everyone with a cold gaze, and said in a low and fierce voice: "Everyone, the prince issued paper money in Liaodong, which is by no means a trivial matter."

"The prince is implementing new policies in Liaodong, and his power is growing day by day. Now this paper currency has disrupted the business landscape even more."

"The profits of our banks and businesses in various places have dropped sharply because of his actions. If we don't take this opportunity to overthrow him, once he has fully grown his wings, I'm afraid that the wealth and status accumulated by our generations will all be gone."

Longxi Li frowned slightly, with deep worry flashing in his eyes.

He shook his head slightly and said slowly: "That being said, the prince now holds the military power in Liaodong and has been very effective in implementing the new policy in Liaodong. Your Majesty is also wary of him."

"If we act rashly and are not careful, we may face a catastrophe. After all, the Crown Prince has a special status, and His Majesty's attitude is unclear behind him, so we have to be extremely cautious."

Zhao Jun Li tapped the table lightly and continued with a serious expression: "Because of this, we need to plan carefully and take every step cautiously."

"Although Your Majesty is wary of the Crown Prince's military power and recognizes the achievements of his new policies, he must still be resentful of the Crown Prince's past acts of rebellion."

"We can use this issue of paper money to bring up the old matter again and closely link the prince's rebellious intentions with the issuance of paper money, so that Your Majesty will think that the prince is preparing for another rebellion."

"Only in this way can we arouse your majesty's suspicion of the prince and prompt your majesty to take action against him."

Bo Ling Cui stroked his beard, his eyes deep, and after thinking for a moment, he slowly said: "Yes, we must convince your Majesty that the prince issued paper money in order to make a lot of money and expand the money for rebellion."

"It takes a lot of money to launch a rebellion to support military equipment, food and other expenses. The prince can easily control a lot of wealth by issuing paper money."

"Second, the prince printed his portrait on banknotes to establish his personal prestige, win the hearts of the people, and build momentum for his uprising."

"The people's trust in money will shift to supporting the prince personally, which is undoubtedly a huge threat to your majesty's rule."

"As long as we can successfully increase your majesty's sense of threat to the prince, I am not afraid that your majesty will take action against the prince."

Fan Yanglu added: "We have great influence in the court and extensive connections. We can ask our trusted ministers to submit memorials and elaborate on the harm and rebellious intentions of the prince's actions from all angles."

"These memorials must be sincere and well-reasoned, emphasizing the threat that the Crown Prince's behavior poses to the Tang Dynasty and attract Your Majesty's attention."

"At the same time, use our power among the people to spread rumors widely in Chang'an City. Let the people know that the prince has evil intentions and that issuing paper money is an attempt to usurp the throne."

"In the market, the common people are most curious about the affairs of the royal family. Once these rumors spread, they will surely cause an uproar. As the saying goes, "the public will point fingers at you, but nothing will happen." This will force Your Majesty to take action."

Li of Zhaojun also agreed, "That's right, wealth and honor are sought in danger. As long as we act prudently and cooperate with each other, we will be able to conceal the truth. We have been operating in the court for many years and have a deep network of contacts. As long as we plan carefully, we will succeed."

"Besides, if we don't take this opportunity to overthrow the crown prince, his suppression of us in the future will probably leave us dead without a burial place."

After a long while, Qinghe Cui slowly stood up and looked at everyone with a firm gaze: "Now that things have come to this, we cannot retreat."

"We are five surnames and seven families, and we are all of the same blood. Only by working together can we survive this disaster."

"Everyone go back and prepare. Be sure to follow the plan and not make any mistakes."
-

August, Chang'an.

The atmosphere at the Taiji Palace's early morning court session was as solemn as the day before a storm.

The Imperial Counselor Chu Suiliang was the first to step forward, and the Imperial Censor Chu Suiliang was the first to step forward, holding the memorial, with a serious look and passionate words:

"Your Majesty, I heard that the Crown Prince issued paper money in Liaodong. This is a heinous act."

"The prince used the name of issuing paper money to amass wealth and expand military equipment. His intention to rebel is obvious."

"Now rumors are spreading in Chang'an City. The people are worried about the prince's behavior and are in a panic. I implore Your Majesty to conduct a thorough investigation to reassure the people and protect our Tang Dynasty."

Li Shimin sat on the dragon throne, his face as gloomy as iron, and his heart filled with mixed feelings.

He already had a grudge against the prince's rebellious intentions, and now hearing about this incident, his doubts grew even greater.

However, it was also clear that the prince's new policies in Liaodong had indeed achieved certain results, and any rash action might lead to civil unrest and shake the foundations of the country.

For the sake of the stability of the Tang Dynasty, we should choose to protect the prince at this moment.

So he slowly said, "Lord Chu, I have heard about the Crown Prince issuing paper money. But is it too hasty to conclude that he has the intention of treason based on this action alone?"

At this time, Li Gang, the Minister of Rites, stepped out and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, what Doctor Chu said is absolutely right."

"Since ancient times, etiquette and laws have been the cornerstone of national stability."

"The prince's action has seriously violated traditional etiquette. Printing portraits on coins is an unprecedented act of usurpation. If this trend is not curbed, more people may follow suit in the future, and the majesty of the court will be gone."

(End of this chapter)