17: Chapter 17 So what power do I, the emperor, have? The power to cooperate!

"The Great Qin Empire will borrow from the people, with operations and registration handled by the Great Qin Empire Bank."

"Citizens who purchase national bonds can earn interest."

"Interest rates will be set based on the duration of the term."

"When citizens wish to withdraw funds, they will do so using their certificates."

When Zhao Fusu explained the concept of national bonds to the civil and military officials, their eyes lit up as if a whole new world had been opened to them.

It could even be done like this!

Even Li Si and Feng Quji, the former Chancellors, looked at Zhao Fusu in shock.

The introduction of the concept of national bonds amazed these two wise men, who were well-versed in both ancient and modern knowledge.

Without forcibly conscripting laborers, they could still advance the people's labor through this gentler method.

Zhao Fusu's own thinking had also broadened; if the bank could be established, the financial industry would be much easier to profit from than the industrial sector!

Weren't those upper-class young masters all involved in finance?

As a financial tycoon in Great Qin, he would surely make a fortune.

The commoners of Great Qin were called "bean-leaf eaters" by the nobles; they certainly had no money.

But the nobles Inside the Pass and in the Six Lands were wealthy.

Finding a way to concentrate the money in their hands into his own would also prevent them from using it to fund rebellions.

Brilliant!

Zhao Fusu had only just thought of this layer himself.

This made Zhao Fusu even more eager to establish the bank.

He said, "Our Great Qin Empire Bank will also provide deposit services. Both citizens and merchants can deposit their money in the Great Qin Empire Bank."

"The money they store in the Great Qin Empire Bank can be in fixed-term or demand accounts, both of which will earn interest."

"Fixed-term interest is high, while demand accounts allow for withdrawals at any time, but the interest is relatively low."

"Hiss!"

The civil and military officials, including Li Si, Feng Quji, General Wang Jian, and Meng Yi, all gasped.

No one was a fool.

They understood that if the Great Qin Empire Bank could establish credit, then the people of the entire Great Qin Empire would deposit their money in the Great Qin Empire Bank to earn interest. This was equivalent to the wealth of the whole world converging into their Great Qin Empire Bank.

This was truly unbelievable!

Zhao Fusu continued, "As long as there is a branch of the Great Qin Empire Bank, the depositing citizens can redeem their money using their certificates."

The emergence of banks was undoubtedly a very favorable development for merchants.

When they went out to do business, they wouldn't have to carry large amounts of gold and silver on them.

And with the money deposited by the people in the Great Qin Empire Bank, he could accomplish many things.

With the continuous stream of industrial equipment from his sign-ins to rely on, he wasn't worried at all about being unable to pay the interest generated by the people's deposits.

"Will this work?"

The Minister of Agriculture and Finance expressed doubt.

"You won't be responsible for the Great Qin Empire Bank."

Zhao Fusu said, "I will personally manage it."

No one in the Qin Dynasty knew how to operate a bank, so he intended to manage it directly.

"Yes, Head of State."

The Minister of Agriculture and Finance breathed a sigh of relief.

If it had nothing to do with him, then there was no problem.

"Zhang Han."

Zhao Fusu's gaze turned toward Zhang Han.

Zhang Han was extremely tall, reaching 1.9 meters.

He was forty-three years old, yet he had sharp features and was quite handsome.

He was the Imperial Treasury, the purse-strings of the imperial family and their steward.

Zhao Fusu said, "First, help me buy a batch of shops in key locations on the streets of Xianyang."

"The more, the better."

"Yes, Head of State," Zhang Han replied.

"Yes, Head of State."

"Eighteenth Brother."

Zhao Fusu turned his gaze toward Hu Hai.

This meeting had been going on for several hours; Hu Hai was so bored he was about to fall asleep.

"Big Brother, what is it?"

Hu Hai opened his drowsy eyes.

"Next, I will have the Minister of Ceremonies arrange your enthronement ceremony to become the Second Emperor of our Great Qin Empire."

Hu Hai asked, refusing to give up, "Then what power do I have as emperor?"

"You have the power to cooperate."

The words Zhao Fusu spoke caused Hu Hai to lose all hope.

"Pfft!"

The civil and military officials in the main hall of Xianyang Palace couldn't help but laugh.

"Eighteenth Brother," Zhao Fusu said.

"After you ascend the throne, issue an Edict of Self-Reproach."

"An Edict of Self-Reproach?"

Hu Hai was illiterate and didn't know what an Edict of Self-Reproach meant.

Hearing this, Li Si and Feng Quji's eyes lit up.

Li Si said, "The Head of State means to use the new emperor's enthronement to issue an Edict of Self-Reproach and abolish corvée labor."

"Correct."

Zhao Fusu nodded.

Generally speaking, when a new emperor ascended the throne, to appease the people, they would grant benefits to the populace, such as a general amnesty, releasing prisoners from jail.

Those pardoned were mainly for minor crimes like common theft or brawling; some more serious crimes like exile or imprisonment might also be included in the amnesty.

By showing mercy to criminals, the emperor established a benevolent image, enhancing the people's identification with and loyalty to the court, and consolidating the foundation of his rule.

At the same time, it helped alleviate social contradictions and stabilize social order.

But in Zhao Fusu's view, this general amnesty was actually irresponsible toward the safety of the people.

You, the emperor, earn a good reputation for benevolence, but for the people, a large number of criminals are released. At night, they have to shut their doors and windows tight.

It would be better to give the people of the world tangible benefits by directly abolishing the system of corvée labor.

Zhao Fusu believed that if he abolished corvée labor, it would effectively curb peasant uprisings.

The first peasant uprising of Great Qin was launched by Chen Sheng and Wu Guang.

When Chen Sheng was young, he told his fellow villagers, "How can a swallow or sparrow know the ambition of a swan?" and "If one of us becomes rich and powerful, let us not forget each other."

As long as such a person was given an opportunity, he would surely seize it.

Case in point, while he was escorting over nine hundred conscripted laborers to Yuyang for border duty, they were unable to reach the Great Wall on time due to heavy rain.

He saw it as an entrepreneurial opportunity. After killing the supervising officer, he took the chance to tell those laborers that if they didn't arrive at the Great Wall on time, they would all die; if they wanted to live, they had to "start a business" and carve out a path for themselves.

By canceling corvée labor, Zhao Fusu would not give Chen Sheng the opportunity to "start a business."

Let's see how Chen Sheng could still lead a rebellion then!

Of course, if Chen Sheng and Wu Guang really wanted to "start a business," it wasn't impossible for him to give them a chance.

Once he had a firm foothold and began implementing a market economy, he could support them in starting businesses as bosses.

Then he could use them as role models, shouting the slogan, "Are kings and nobles, generals and ministers, made of a different kind of seed?"

"Sleep on the floor today, be the boss tomorrow."

"To succeed, first go crazy; charge toward money regardless of everything."

Use this to attract more people into commerce and revitalize the economy of the Great Qin Empire.

"Excellent, excellent, truly excellent."

Feng Quji praised repeatedly, "Since our Great Qin began the conquest of the Six Lands, not only have the people of those six states loathed us, but even the people of the Qin Region have become exhausted from years of continuous warfare. If we issue an Edict of Self-Reproach this time and take the opportunity to abolish corvée labor, it will greatly reduce the people's dissatisfaction with our Great Qin!"