Chapter 2481: Copper Coin

Second Master Hao remained composed. He knew Boss He too well. He looked like a reckless grassroots hero, but in reality, there was subtlety in his roughness; he didn't rely entirely on recklessness. This performance was merely to express dissatisfaction with the delay. If you said quit, he neither dared nor was willing to.

He didn't speak, just slowly sipped his tea, letting it swirl in his mouth to savor the taste. This was high-quality Dragon Well tea picked before the Grain Rain; the Australians still managed to deliver it from Hangzhou. Hehe, truly capable of reaching the heavens!

The middle-aged man sitting in the seat of honor coughed lightly and said, "Gentlemen, nowadays the Bald Thieves are overwhelmingly powerful. That you can all still be loyal to the country and live up to the Emperor's grace while in a perilous situation proves you are indeed loyal subjects of the Great Ming. This student will substitute tea for wine and toast you all first." With that, he raised his cup in a gesture and drank first.

Second Master Hao hadn't introduced this person's identity in detail before, only telling everyone that his surname was Li and he was sent to Guangzhou by "Shi Weng," representing the Imperial Court.

Thus, with his statement, everyone chimed in agreement—after all, Shi Weng was their big patron and represented the Court. Especially the various craftsmen sent here; their entire livelihoods were in Shi Weng's hands, so how could they dare to be presumptuous?

Hao Fang said, "Since the Yongtai Temple meeting, matters have made some progress. The masters..." His gaze turned to the few accompanying masters, who all bowed slightly. "Tried many methods and have now come up with a new one. But this matter is significant and needs to be communicated to everyone." Saying this, he glanced at Master Li and Boss He again.

"Don't look at me, I only care about helping you spend the money. But you must improve this money properly; nowadays even country folks aren't easily fooled..." Boss He waved his hand.

"Naturally." Second Master Hao seemed to have a plan in mind, turning to an old man: "Master Li, please."

This "Master Li" was none other than the master mold carver from the Ministry of Works' Coinage Bureau, known as "Fan Li" (Mold Li), specializing in making "mother coins." His beard and hair were already completely white, but his spirit was very vigorous. At this moment, he dispensed with polite empty words, cupped his hands, and said: "Allow this little old man to be presumptuous and say a few words first."

"...Ever since this little old man took on this job, I have studied for a long time with Master Qiu under Second Master Hao and tried to cast some silver dollars. However, the work produced is hard to describe. Truth be told, this little old man originally thought this task was a sure win. Unexpectedly, one lives and learns until old age. This Bald Thief has given this little old man a solid lesson!"

Having said this, he shook his head. Everyone showed anxious looks, but Hao Fang knew this was just the old man playing hard to get. The beginning was just foreshadowing; otherwise, how could his skill be displayed?

His initial method was the same as Master Qiu's: making casting molds first. In terms of craftsmanship, Master Qiu naturally couldn't compare with him, not to mention he had many ancestral "secret methods." Therefore, not only did he create molds for the "Australian Silver Dollar" that were lifelike, but he also specially made hollow molds for inserting lead cores, capable of casting lead-filled fake silver dollars in one go.

Trial casting began using copper. The resulting "copper dollars," while not exactly lifelike, had at least ninety percent similarity in various details. The only problem was the ring of fine patterns on the silver dollar couldn't be cast.

"...The fine patterns couldn't be cast. I discussed methods with 'Live Worm Zhao' as well. Master Zhao said it didn't matter; silver is soft, and he could make a special tool to press the fine patterns on. Although it couldn't be exactly the same, it would pass at a glance without issues."

Unexpectedly, as soon as silver was used, this carefully crafted mold immediately had problems. The specific nature of silver casting meant textures and air bubbles were unavoidable imperfections that no amount of clever and superb craftsmanship could remedy. The silver coins made were fake at a glance when compared with Australian silver dollars.

"Master Qiu also told me that these Australians must use some technique to cast silver dollars without silver veins or air holes. Even melting Australian silver dollars directly to cast produces the same result."

After that, Fan Li and the others tossed about various formulas but never achieved that texture of Australian silver dollars. Until one day, "I saw this!" Li Fugui fished out an ingot of silver from his waist, "Please take a look, everyone."

Hao Fang and others knew what this was. Only this "Master Li" and Boss He didn't know. Master Li took it and looked; it was a common ten-tael ingot stamped with: Sanjiangmao. He scrutinized it, weighed it in his hand, and said, "It's just a silver ingot, what's different?"

Boss He took it for a look, weighed it too, and asked, "Is it fake silver?"

"Correct, it is indeed fake silver." Li Fugui nodded. "This is drug silver!"

"Is it Daoist Wu..." Master Li asked in a low voice.

"Correct, exactly." Hao Fang nodded. "It is precisely what Daoist Wu smelted back then."

"But when he was framed, didn't the furnace and the silver all fall into the hands of the Bald Thieves?"

"Only a part of it. Most of it was transported out. His disciples also know the method of smelting drug silver. They have already trial-smelted some."

Boss He's mind turned fast and he immediately understood: "You mean, preparing to distribute drug silver in large quantities?"

Li Fugui shook his head as if keeping them in suspense: "No, no. Drug silver is still silver ingots. To use it in the city, one must give it to private money dealers to exchange—these silver dogs are used to seeing silver. No matter how well the drug silver is made, it isn't real silver after all. Before long, they will see the flaws. I have thought about it: use drug silver to make silver dollars!"

Now, even Master Li widened his eyes: "Use drug silver?"

If real silver couldn't replicate Australian silver dollars, how could using fake silver work?

Li Fugui unhurriedly said: "Gentlemen, although this drug silver is called 'silver,' it is actually copper. When it comes to the skill of casting coins with copper, forgive this little old man's arrogance, but few people can be found who are more proficient than this little old man..."

Saying this, he took out a few silver coins from his waist: "These are what I newly made. Gentlemen may take a look."

Everyone took the silver coins and passed them around for inspection, clicking their tongues in wonder. When it reached Hao Fang's hand, he couldn't help being startled. This silver dollar was fully seventy percent similar to the Australian dollar!

"How was this made?" Second Master Hao asked.

"Cast just like casting copper coins." Fan Li said. "Only this coin mold took all of my life's skills! Also thanks to Live Worm Zhao; without his hand at fine chiseling, this little old man certainly couldn't have made such a refined wax model."

Because copper casting was used, the originally annoying veins and air holes disappeared, and the size control of casting "copper dollars" was much better than silver. Then, after polishing by coin-casting craftsmen. looking carefully at the patterns on it, although not as exquisite and delicate as Australian dollars, they mimicked them seven or eight out of ten. The only regret was the milled edge serrations; although made, they obviously varied in size.

Compared to previous imitation silver dollars, only a few hand-chiseled by masters could compare with these.

"So, we can cast them in large quantities!" At this moment, Hao Fang almost wanted to shout out.

"Correct!" Li Fugui nodded somewhat proudly. "If the drug silver supply keeps up, casting a thousand coins a month is not a problem."

"Too few, too few. What use is a thousand coins a month?" Boss He also got excited, "Even ten thousand a month is just sticking between the teeth, hahaha..."

Master Li was not as happy as he was. He held the fake silver dollar in his hand, looking at it over and over, and specially took out an Australian silver dollar to compare and scrutinize. After a long time, he said: "The appearance is indeed very similar, but looking closely it still can't stand scrutiny—the weight in hand is also different."

"We can make the weight thicker. As for not looking alike, it doesn't matter." Live Worm Zhao casually tossed a silver coin, "Hehe, take the antiques and curios of this world. Speaking of them, there are those from the Three Dynasties, Han and Tang, and also Song and Yuan... In reality, where are there so many old objects in the world? Can grave robbing produce so many? Most are fake antiques. Make new things look old, put a layer of patina on them, and they can fool people. This silver dollar is the same. Don't the Australians claim one of the benefits of silver dollars is that you don't need to check the color and weigh it like silver ingots? Since that's the case, we only need to make it seventy or eighty percent alike, with about the same weight, and then age it on the outside. When things are old, people won't pay too much attention to details. Moreover, silver is soft; over time, there will be some wear and tear." Saying this, he took out two more silver dollars from his pocket.

"One is a fake coin I aged, the other is an old real coin. Gentlemen take another look."

Everyone took turns examining them; indeed, the difference between the two was even smaller. They clicked their tongues in wonder.

Hao Fang said: "What Master Zhao said is true. It is indeed this reasoning!" He thought for a moment and said, "I heard from Boss He that in many places in Guangdong and Guangxi, the Australians have just appointed county magistrates. Silver dollars are not used much, and even fewer people have seen them. We can disperse these silver dollars to various places and distribute them."

"But can the supply of so much drug silver keep up?" Master Li was a bit worried.

"Master, please rest assured about this." Hao Fang said, "Preparations have been made. Truthfully reporting to Master, we also prepared two plans. If this Australian silver dollar couldn't be made, we originally planned to cast drug silver ingots to spend in remote places. Now it seems that was unnecessary."

Exactly how he prepared to spend it, Hao Fang did not say. Casting fake silver dollars and fake banknotes was firstly to profit and disrupt the Bald Thieves' finances, and secondly, they had other uses. But this "other" was only known to Shi Weng and the 'Four Gentlemen'; other "tools" present were unaware.

This matter not only carried huge risks but also cost a huge amount of money. Therefore, Shi Weng instructed him that even if fake silver dollars couldn't be made, drug silver had to be smelted more.

"Regarding the banknotes, there is also progress now." Hao Fang smiled. "Master Lin, you are familiar with this matter; it's up to you to speak."

"Tribute Paper" Lin smiled slightly and cupped his hands: "Gentlemen, there are now clues regarding counterfeiting the Great Song's banknotes. But to see results, it will probably take another year or so. If this succeeds, it will make the Bald Thieves even more sleepless than these fake silver dollars. It is a tactic of removing firewood from under the cauldron!"

(End of Chapter)