Chapter Fifty-One: The Four Seas Bank!
Wang Yuanbao and Mei Xianzi were like two steadfast anchors, firmly stabilizing the wave of monetary scarcity in the Chang’an region. Prices gradually returned to normal, commercial transactions began to revive, and smiles once again appeared on people’s faces.
However, those with keen insight understood that this stability was only temporary. No matter how great an individual’s wealth, it was impossible to fundamentally reverse the overall situation!
With prolonged depletion, the only outcome awaiting Wang and Mei would be the exhaustion of their fortunes and the ruin of their families—unless they had a powerful secret weapon capable of truly quelling this monetary crisis!
Was there such a thing?
Indeed, there was!
……
Dingxiang Pavilion was one of several enterprises under the stewardship of the world’s foremost God of Wealth—Wang Yuanbao. Located within Changshou Ward, it occupied a vast area and was splendidly decorated, ranking among the top-tier grand taverns in Chang’an city.
Because of its delicious food and attentive service, Dingxiang Pavilion always enjoyed prosperous business. Even amid the monetary shortage, it never lacked patrons.
Yet today, the pavilion was unusually quiet, with not a single customer inside.
A wooden sign stood by the entrance, bearing eight large characters: “Reserved for Private Event Today; No Entry Without Invitation.”
Passersby stopped in curiosity. Who could possess such wealth as to reserve the entire Dingxiang Pavilion? And what kind of guests were being entertained?
……
By midday, guests arrived one after another, totaling one hundred and eighteen people—men and women, old and young, beautiful and plain. Yet all shared one common identity: merchants.
Moreover, they were all affluent, upright businessmen of considerable stature in the trade world!
Who could have gathered such distinguished merchants?
Naturally, it was the God of Wealth himself—or rather, two gods: Wang Yuanbao and Mei Xianzi sat side by side in the main hall of Dingxiang Pavilion, one with silver hair, the other as stunning as a celestial maiden, forming a charming contrast.
“We pay our respects to Senior Wang and Fairy Mei!” the merchants greeted.
“Please, be seated!” came the reply.
As the merchants entered, they bowed respectfully to Wang and Mei, then took their seats in order according to their seniority and age.
Soon, all one hundred and eighteen merchants were present. After a roll call, Wang Yuanbao signaled, and the banquet officially commenced.
When two Gods of Wealth host a feast, generosity is guaranteed. Delicacies from land and sea, rare and exquisite dishes, and the finest wines flowed like clouds and water. Dozens of beautiful songstresses danced gracefully in the hall.
“Everyone, please drink!”
“Please drink!”
As the guests enjoyed the music and food, wine cups clinked amid a lively atmosphere.
Yet the merchants all understood that a banquet hosted by two Gods of Wealth was far more than a mere feast. Important matters must be discussed. Thus, they ate only until half full and drank just a few cups to keep their minds clear.
Sure enough, after three rounds of wine and five courses, Wang Yuanbao dismissed the singers with a wave and cleared his throat, preparing to speak seriously.
“Everyone present is an old acquaintance, friend, or business partner of mine. Therefore, I shall not beat around the bush. I have called you all here today to announce that I intend to collaborate with Fairy Mei to establish money houses across the realm. I hope each of you will give your full support!”
“A money house? What is that?”
“I don’t know, but if two Gods of Wealth are working together, it’s certainly no small matter.”
……
Faced with their curiosity, Wang Yuanbao said little but instead had his servants distribute many small booklets, one for each person.
The booklet clearly stated: The money houses would be co-owned by Wang and Mei, each holding fifty percent of the shares, collectively named “Four Seas Money House.” The headquarters would be in Chang’an city, with branches established in fifty-two major cities including Luoyang, Linzi, Handan, Suzhou, Yangzhou, and Jingzhou.
The Four Seas Money House would operate various businesses, the first and foremost being remittance!
For example, Merchant A resides in Chang’an but plans to conduct a large trade in Luoyang. The journey is long, and carrying a large sum of money is inconvenient. What should he do?
He can deposit the money in the Chang’an headquarters of the Four Seas Money House, then take a remittance note issued by the money house when he travels. Upon arriving in Luoyang, he can present the note to the local branch of the Four Seas Money House to withdraw funds for his business.
After earning his profits, he can deposit money at the Luoyang branch and take a remittance note back to Chang’an, where he withdraws funds from the headquarters. This back-and-forth process is far more convenient.
Of course, the money house cannot work for free and charges a fee—only two percent of the transferred amount!
The booklet also included a sample remittance note, measuring about one foot long and six inches wide, made from a rare type of mulberry bark paper, bright white, sturdy, and durable. Its production process was complex, impossible for ordinary people to replicate.
The note featured three-color printing, intricate micro-engraved anti-counterfeiting patterns around the edges, dense encrypted text in the center, and a special Four Seas Money House seal in the lower right corner.
Such exquisite notes would make forging nearly as difficult as scaling the heavens!
“What a brilliant solution! With such remittance notes, our future business dealings will be so much easier!”
“Not only easier, but also time-saving and a huge cut in transport costs!”
“Such ingenious ideas could only come from Senior Wang and Fairy Mei. No wonder they are Gods of Wealth!”
……
Just after reading about the first business line, the merchants were elated—some laughed heartily, some danced with joy, some even wept with excitement.
Heaven be kind! The world saw only merchants making heaps of silver, but who knew their hardships?
In the Tang realm, gold and silver were scarce. The circulating currency was mainly copper coins and cloth money—low in value, heavy, and bulky to carry.
Every business trip required large carriages to carry enough coins and cloth, plus numerous guards for protection. The journey was arduous, with heavy expenses on food and lodging for both men and horses.
If the trip went smoothly and profit was made, it was barely worth the effort.
If misfortune struck, it was not just the money that was lost—one’s life could be at risk. Though the Kaiyuan era was prosperous, bandits and robbers still lurked, often ambushing merchant caravans!
With a money house network across the land, all these problems would vanish. A small remittance note could solve everything—convenient and safe. Though fees applied, they were negligible compared to one’s fortune and life.
Calmed and encouraged, the merchants continued to explore the booklet. The second business was deposits!
Merchants with idle funds could deposit them in the money house, which would pay interest based on amount and duration.
Specifically: a deposit of ten thousand strings of coins for one year would yield three percent interest; if deposited for three years at once, five percent interest per year.
In short, the larger the sum and the longer the term, the greater the interest. Demand deposits earned slightly less.
The third business: loans.
The fourth business: currency exchange.
……
As the merchants eagerly flipped through the pages, excitement mounted. Meanwhile, a group of maidservants entered, serving each a cup of tea.
Some merchants took a sip and were momentarily stunned. What kind of tea was this? Golden in color, fragrant beyond measure—at least ten times better than the usual boiled tea!
“Haha, this is a newly brewed tea I recently developed. How do you all find it?”
“Delicious! The aroma is refreshing and invigorating. But how is this tea made?”
“Please, sit quietly and listen while I explain.”
Wang Yuanbao sipped the tea, shook his head in satisfaction, then began his narration.
The Tang people loved tea but drank mainly boiled tea, which involved roasting tea cakes over fire, grinding them to powder, then boiling them in a pot with seasonings such as scallion, ginger, jujube, tangerine peel, cornus, and mint.
What emerged was less tea and more like porridge. The process was cumbersome, making one wait a long time to enjoy tea.
Brewing tea, however, was different. Simply place processed tea leaves in a teapot and pour boiling water over them. It was simple, convenient, and preserved the tea’s fragrance to the fullest—far superior to boiled tea.
……
After finishing, Wang Yuanbao had two trays brought forward—one holding loose tea leaves, the other pressed tea bricks roughly one foot long, six inches wide, two inches thick, and weighing about two pounds.
Compared to loose tea, the bricks were easier to store and transport, ideal for long-distance trade, while loose tea retained the original flavor, offering a more refreshing taste.
“May I ask, Senior Wang, what is this new tea called? What is the monthly output and selling price?”
“Hehe, this is Longjing green tea, jointly produced by Wang and Mei. Because it was just developed recently and due to seasonal factors, current output is limited—about a hundred and thirty thousand pounds monthly, divided into three grades: high, medium, and low.
“You have just tasted the high-grade tea, priced at twenty strings of coins per pound, with a monthly output of ten thousand pounds.
“Medium-grade tea sells for two strings per pound, with thirty thousand pounds produced monthly.
“Low-grade tea goes for four hundred wen per pound, with a monthly output of one hundred and fifty thousand pounds.
“Additionally, Mei and I have purchased over a dozen tea mountains in Jiangnan. After April next year, new tea varieties and output will increase substantially.”
……
“Good. I want all nineteen thousand pounds of the high, medium, and low-grade teas. When the new tea arrives next year, I will spare no effort in purchasing.”
“Bah! Why should you have it all? That’s greed! At least give me half—I’m willing to pay thirty percent more.”
“Give it to me! I’ll pay fifty percent extra!”
“Give it to me! I’ll double the price!”
……
All present were seasoned merchants with keen eyes. After tasting, they knew that once this brewed tea was on the market, it would sell like wildfire and yield huge profits.
No one wanted to miss out on such a lucrative venture, so bidding wars erupted, nearly turning violent.
“Enough, enough! Everyone will have a share. Let us join hands and prosper together!” Wang Yuanbao hurried to mediate. Seizing the moment, he proposed forming an allied merchants’ association.
Those who joined would share information and lend mutual support. Wealth would be earned together, and hardships borne as one.
For example, if a merchant accidentally went bankrupt, the association would help him recover.
Or if a merchant sought to undertake a large deal but lacked resources, he could request assistance from other members to secure the business.
The possibilities were endless!
Such a beneficial proposal was naturally embraced, with all raising both hands in agreement. Wang Yuanbao was unanimously elected president of the alliance, with Mei Xianzi as vice president, to lead everyone in earning even more wealth.
The merchants enthusiastically discussed detailed regulations for the association, aiming to maximize the use of collective resources for everyone’s benefit.
Seizing the opportunity, Wang Yuanbao and Mei Xianzi whispered quietly.
“Mei girl!”
“What are your orders, Senior?”
“The money houses, the new tea, and the merchant alliance—all schemes concocted by that rascal. Now that it’s our turn to appear publicly, where has he gone?”
“Senior, Yulang has gone to pay a visit to the Right Gate Guard General.”
“What?”
The Right Gate Guard General was a third-rank official responsible for overseeing the palace gates and guards, currently held by none other than Gao Lishi.
“Gao Gonggong is the emperor’s most trusted person. Why would Yulang go to see him?”
“Yulang said he intends to conjure something out of nothing and fish in troubled waters, aiming to completely resolve the monetary shortage!”
—End of page three—