Chapter 949: Internationalization of Currency
"Is Japan a threat to our Tang Dynasty?" Li Longji was more certain that Li Yi did not seem to have a good impression of Japan.
Li Yi shook his head: "Not at the moment, they can't beat us."
Li Yi was certain that Japan was scared by the Tang Dynasty in the battle of Baijiangkou.
After that, the Tang Dynasty developed rapidly, and Japan began to study hard.
"The Japanese are a nation that is good at learning. They will not come to fight when they cannot build a fleet that can defeat the Tang Dynasty."
Li Yi mentioned the war more than 50 years ago. The Japanese ships used mortise and tenon structures, while the Tang Dynasty ships used mortise and tenon with iron nails.
The Tang Dynasty ships were tall, big and strong.
The wolf pack tactics of the Japanese boats did not work well, and the Tang Dynasty generals at that time were also powerful.
If there were no strong enemies outside and chaos inside, the direction of history would certainly be different.
"So, Brother Yi wants to profit from his trade?" Li Longji was relieved.
"Japan lacks natural resources, but has a lot of copper and silver mines. It also has iron mines, but our Tang Dynasty does not lack iron. In addition, Japan has gold mines."
Li Yi thought of something else. Although Japan's resources are scarce, they have everything they should have.
"Is the smelting technology good?" Li Longji wanted to learn more about Japan from Li Yi.
"There is no coal. There are very few coal mines in Japan, and they have not been found yet. The smelting temperature is not high, and forging is required."
Li Yi gave a shortcoming of Japan.
The furnace temperature is not high, so they can only use the method of burning and hammering to make good weapons.
It is similar to the Tang Dynasty. Even if there is a steel-making method, the output is still not good.
No one uses the steel-making method to make farm tools. Steel-making has only one use, making weapons.
"Can you sell them coal?" Li Longji knew that the Tang Dynasty had a lot of coal and sold it for money.
After asking, he rejected it again: "No, with coal they will make better weapons."
"We must strengthen coastal patrols and not let them take away our Tang Dynasty species, such as new indica rice seeds and medicinal seeds."
Li Yi made a request from another aspect. He actually didn't care about coal exports.
How much can a small boat from Japan carry? The key is that he didn't point out the coal mines in the coastal areas of the Tang Dynasty.
Who will pay for the freight from land to the sea? The people of the Tang Dynasty have work to do.
Thinking of this, Li Yi suggested: "Third brother, you can sell coal to Japan, and Japan will pay the wages of the people of the Tang Dynasty for their labor."
Li Longji was stunned for a moment: "I don't think Japan will agree. It costs a lot to transport a car of coal to Japan."
He figured it out. How much money would it cost to pull a car of coal, let alone Japan, even if it was sent to Luoyang?
Japan would have to exchange a ship of copper for a ship of coal. Even if the coal was exchanged for coke, how much ore could it smelt?
"Alas! I can't make money from Japan, they are poor." Li Longji regretted it.
Li Yi wanted to laugh, as if the Tang Dynasty was very rich.
"Third brother, it is not difficult to make money from Japan. The ordinary people in Japan are poor, and the slaves have no property. The Japanese court is rich."
Li Yi narrowed his eyes and thought about how to get benefits from Japan.
They came with 557 envoys, a huge lineup. If I don't help Japan develop its economy, I will be sorry for Japan.
Li Longji was familiar with Li Yi's appearance at this time, and the rhythm before he wanted to cheat people.
"How to make money?" he asked.
"Sell them good farm tools and kitchen knives, buy their copper ingots and silver ingots, not ore. If it is ore, the price is lower."
Li Yi began to consider technology in exchange for resources, because Japan's own smelting technology was not good enough.
Now is the Nara period, and it was not until the Asuka period that Japan improved its smelting technology.
Japanese swords were only determined at that time, and after some development, they became a system.
"Is it to exchange kitchen knives and farm tools for bad ore? Or copper and silver after simple smelting?"
Li Longji believed that as long as there was enough price difference, the transaction could be done.
Li Yi shook his head: "It's not exchange, it's selling to them, they sell things to us. Selling things to us, we give him money, and he can use the money to buy other Tang things."
Li Yi emphasized the process, not barter, and needed a currency.
Without Li Longji asking, Li Yi continued: "I originally wanted to print money for Japan, if they sell things here, they can also take the exchange voucher back to spend it..."
Li Yi popularized knowledge to Li Longji, exchange vouchers and future Tang Dynasty banknotes can become international currencies.
Using Tang Dynasty banknotes to buy other people's things directly outside, others want to use their own banknotes in Tang Dynasty, but it's not possible.
Others have only one channel, selling things to Tang Dynasty, obtaining Tang Dynasty currency, and then buying Tang Dynasty products.
Either merchants go out and buy things using Tang Dynasty currency, and the other party takes it back to buy Tang Dynasty things.
Li Longji listened and showed expectation.
The money printed by the Tang Dynasty is accepted by everyone in any place.
If we print more money, wouldn't it be...
"Brother Yi, can we print more money?" Li Longji asked Li Yi for his opinion on financial issues.
"Okay, spend it. Some places will use the currency of the Tang Dynasty as their own currency. In fact, the money does not need to be paid for the same amount of goods in the Tang Dynasty."
"Yes, they use it for internal circulation. If it falls into the water or is accidentally burned, it has nothing to do with our Tang Dynasty."
Li Longji thought of other people damaging the money and wearing it out after long circulation.
Li Yi nodded: "In addition, we have to collect their tariffs and taxes at the coastal ports. This method can be used to stabilize the value of the over-issued money."
Li Yi was skilled and copied it. That was what the countries on the other side of the earth did at that time.
His own country was selling blood to get the money from the other side.
A pair of good cowhide shoes was produced and sold for hundreds of yuan in China.
When it was exchanged abroad, it was sold for tens of cents, and the shoes were given to others, so that foreign exchange could be obtained.
The lost money was subsidized by the country.
Now the Tang Dynasty is the strongest in the world. The currency of the Tang Dynasty must become an international currency, so that others can sell things cheaply and pay taxes.
After that, anti-subsidy and anti-dumping investigations can be conducted on products from other countries, and a large sum of money can be made.
Li Longji didn't know the various subsequent means, he felt that what he heard now was enough.
"Start from Japan?" He rubbed his hands together, and seemed very excited.
"Bohai, Khitan, Xi people." Li Yi pointed to the northeast.
"That's OK too." Li Longji pointed to the southwest.
After getting useful information, Li Longji had a happy meal, packed two portions, and left happily.
He wanted to implement it and let the officials of the Tang Dynasty make arrangements according to this good idea.
Li Yi went to the workshop to see the production of litmus paper, and then sold it to Bi Gou, who distributed it to various prefectures and cities and implemented it all the way to the county.
"Be sure to pay attention to safety, operate steadily at each step, and take the initiative to step down when you find it difficult to concentrate."
Li Yi first stopped everyone's work, held a small meeting, and emphasized safety.
Here are sulfuric acid and caustic soda, which are relatively pure.
"Owner, sulfuric acid can also be used for war, right?" A craftsman pointed to the beaker of sulfuric acid and asked.