In "Dream of the Red Chamber", a masterpiece of classical Chinese literature, Wang Xifeng is a very distinctive character. She is smart and tough-handed, not only managing household chores in Jiafu, but also getting involved in the financial field, lending "usury" to earn extra money. So, how much money can Wang Xifeng make a year by lending usury? This article will unravel this mystery for you by analyzing the relevant plot and historical background in **.
First of all, we need to understand the status and role of "usury" in the social environment at that time. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, because the banking system was not yet perfect, ordinary people relied on private lenders for borrowing. Wang Xifeng, as the housekeeper of Jiafu, has a certain amount of funds in her hands, and she converts these funds into considerable income by lending usury.
In **, the specific amount of usury given by Wang Xifeng is not clearly mentioned, but we can extrapolate it according to some clues. For example,**It is mentioned that Jia Yun borrowed one hundred taels of silver from Wang Xifeng, with an interest of two cents per month, and twenty-four taels of silver in a year. This shows that Wang Xifeng's interest rate on usury is quite high, and she dares to lend to people who need funds, which also shows her shrewdness and courage in the financial field.
If we assume that the total amount of usury given by Wang Xifeng each year isOne thousand taels of silver (this is only a hypothesis, the actual amount may be more or less), and at the interest rate of two cents per month, the interest income for a year is two hundred and forty taels of silver. At that time, one tael of silver was equivalent to a few hundred yuan now, so Wang Xifeng's annual income through usury was quite considerable.
In addition to direct interest income, Wang Xifeng may also increase his income through other means. For example, she may require the borrower to provide collateral or a guarantor to reduce the risk of default. If the borrower is unable to repay the loan on time, she can recover the loss by selling the collateral or holding the guarantor accountable. Although there are certain risks in this method, it also brings additional benefits to Wang Xifeng.
In addition,Wang Xifeng may also use her position and influence in Jiafu to exert pressure or threats on borrowers when lending usury. Although this method was immoral, it was not uncommon in the social environment of the time. In this way, Wang Xifeng will not only be able to ensure that the borrower repays the loan on time, but may also receive some additional benefits or kickbacks from the borrower.
Of course, we can't ignore the risks of loan sharking. In **, Jia Yun was in trouble because she couldn't repay Wang Xifeng's debts on time。If the borrower fails to repay the loan on time or defaults, Wang Xifeng may face the risk of losing funds. Therefore, she must choose her borrowers carefully and manage her risk when lending to loan sharks.
To sum up, Wang Xifeng in "Dream of Red Mansions" is a very talented character in finance. She earned a lot of extra money by lending usury, showing her shrewdness and courage in the financial field. However, we also need to be mindful of the risks and ethical issues that come with usury. In real life, we should abide by laws, regulations, and ethics and avoid engaging in illegal and unethical financial activities. Literary Discussion