Zhu Ying has been recommending salary increases for officials.
The reason why Zhu Yuanzhang was able to agree immediately this time was naturally because the national treasury was full, and also because Zhu Ying had hinted at it from all sides and had said it many times before.
It is only today that it has been truly implemented.
It is said that during the Hongwu period, both officials and civilians suffered.
The salaries of officials during this period were literally hovering on the edge of poverty.
When some officials say they haven't had food for two days, they're not kidding.
Starve to death or be greedy, choose for yourself.
Therefore, Zhu Yuanzhang could never kill all the corrupt officials.
Just think about it, this man had been hungry for two days, and then he couldn't help but use a little power. Not only did he have enough food to eat, but he also had delicious fish and meat. Even a fool would know what to choose.
According to the current salary, a ninth-rank official's annual salary is no more than 60 dan of rice, equivalent to 30 taels of silver, while a first-rank official's annual salary is 1,044 dan, equivalent to 522 taels of silver, which does not seem too little.
But who is Zhu Yuanzhang? It is said that he was born in poverty, and it is more than just poverty. He was basically a beggar and had nothing. The lower one is in society, the harder they have to struggle for life, and the dark side they see is even more cruel.
He witnessed with his own eyes the rampant corruption and exploitation of the people at the end of the Yuan Dynasty. He attributed the problem of officials' corruption to their extravagance. If officials were no longer able to indulge in extravagance and everyone could barely get enough to eat, then what was the point of thinking about corruption?
Therefore, he said: "To govern a country, virtue and talent are the first priority. Virtue and talent are the hope of the world. However, common people, when they are newly entrusted with politics, must cultivate their integrity and sense of shame before they can be held accountable for their success."
That's all.
The salary system in the early Ming Dynasty was calculated based on the amount of rice, but the problem was not all the rice was used. The rice was also converted into money, silk, sumac, pepper and other items.
As for how much silk one stone of rice can be exchanged for, that all depends on the imperial court. It is worth whatever the imperial court says it is worth, regardless of the market's opinion.
Moreover, from the tenth to the twentieth year of Hongwu, due to famine, there were continuous cases of salary arrears.
They were already struggling on the brink of starvation, and now that they are no longer receiving money or food, they are headed for starvation.
If you are not greedy, you will starve to death.
On this point, the court was indeed sorry for the officials, and there is nothing wrong with that.
How does Zhu Ying plan to change it?
He planned to change the previous rice salary system into a treasure note system.
In other words, future salaries would no longer be in the form of rice, silk, and other items, but would be replaced with treasure notes.
This will bind officials to the national credit system.
Because after more than half a year of development, and with the Qunying Chamber of Commerce constantly providing money to fill the gap, the value of the Ming Dynasty Treasure Note is almost the same as that of silver.
The biggest thing is that Zhu Ying already has enough reserves.
When a chamber of commerce forms a monopoly in the Ming Dynasty, and with the guidance of someone like Zhu Ying who has memories of his past life and uses cheating methods, the speed at which they collect money is truly beyond imagination.
In the capital alone, a large amount of goods are handled every day. Relying on the orders of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, lower-level officials give the green light to the Qun Ying Chamber of Commerce.
Forget about the buckle, they don't even have the dignity to intercept. Instead, they have to please with a smile on their face, and occasionally they can get some rewards.
Goods in the capital are sold cheaply, but there is still profit. The cheaper the price, the more people will buy them, which boosts the overall economy.
In the past, people who had some money would save it and would not spend it on food or money.
However, the phenomenon of greed for small profits has been a common phenomenon since ancient times. For example, if you don’t buy rice at a 10% discount today, will you buy it at a 20% discount tomorrow?
Nonsense, only a fool wouldn't snatch it, this is food.
Okay.
Cloth is on sale today, and oil and salt will be on sale tomorrow.
What else is there to say? Just buy, buy, buy. You’ll make a profit if you buy.
Even someone like Di Yusen's wife, Qin Lixue, who had been wandering around for many years and wished she could break a copper coin into two halves to spend, spent all of Di Yusen's half-month salary just by going out.
This is enough to show that the current model of the Qun Ying Chamber of Commerce in the capital is very successful.
By constantly collecting money, Zhu Ying had enough reserves, and the recognition of Ming Baochao by both the people and officials became increasingly higher.
Besides, paper money is indeed more convenient to carry than silver.
One catty is equal to ten taels, and one hundred taels is equal to ten catties.
A few hundred taels of silver would be dozens of kilograms.
If you run a slightly bigger business, you will be exhausted from carrying dozens of kilograms every day.
The Ming Dynasty treasure notes have a denomination of hundreds of strings of coins, and a few hundred taels. Putting a few pieces of paper in your pocket feels light and comfortable.
After comparing the two, you will naturally know how to choose.
The issue of how many treasure notes to issue was discussed between Zhu Ying and Zhu Yuanzhang.
In fact, the Ming Dynasty belonged to the Zhu family. Once the grandfather and grandson agreed on how much money to make every month, the deal would be done.
There is really no need to convene a meeting of officials.
When the official salary system was first formulated, it was basically Zhu Yuanzhang who came up with it alone, and then Empress Ma would give some advice. Once the general content framework was decided, the officials would be given some space, and that was it.
"Grandson, your quota is too high. No, no, a mere ninth-rank official cannot receive so much money. You have to change it, change it."
"Grandson, the standard of your cafeteria is not good enough. You even have meat in every meal. No, if you eat so much, you will become a glutton. You need to change it."
"Grandson, you are still giving out so many rewards at the end of the year. This is not okay. We already give them so many treasure notes every month. It's just a token of our appreciation during festivals. Change it."
"Grandson, how can the clerks enjoy so many benefits? And the patrol officers are too many. No, we have to change it. The standard of food should be lowered. These are all our precious money."
"Why are the expenses of the palace also raised so much? Grandson, you... oh, you are really selling your father's land without any regrets!"
"This is scraping our flesh!"
During these few days, Zhu Yuanzhang's exclamations, scolding, and heated arguments could be heard from the Qianqing Palace every day.
The fight between the grandfather and grandson really seemed like a war.
This made everyone in the palace feel very nervous.
Every time Zhu Ying returned to Kunning Palace, Ye Yueqing would advise him, "Your Highness, please give in to His Majesty. I heard the noise in Kunning Palace."
"Even Concubine Ning has come to tell me several times not to go against His Majesty and to follow his heart."
Zhu Ying agreed on the surface, but the next day, he did the same thing again.
For Zhu Yuanzhang, spending so much money at once was like cutting off flesh from his own body. How could he bear to do that?
The news of the argument between the grandfather and grandson soon spread in the palace, and even the ministers in the court knew what was happening.
They were listening very closely. Many ministers even stayed longer on purpose after the morning court session in order to get some news in advance.
This is about their salaries.
As the saying goes, food is the most important thing for the people. Even officials are human beings, and they cannot do without two meals a day, firewood, rice, oil and salt.
"It is said that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince wants to raise our salaries, and is now arguing with His Majesty. The whole palace knows about it."
"I'm telling you, I got news from the eunuchs in the palace. This time His Royal Highness wants to make some changes. We won't be given rice or anything else as salary. We'll all be given banknotes instead."
"Are you sure? This is good news. After receiving it every month, you still have to exchange it for treasure notes. You know the price in the market. The price of rice has become lower because of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's Chamber of Commerce. It is really troublesome to exchange it."
"I think it's a good idea to issue treasure notes. There are things in the capital that can't be bought with treasure notes. It's straightforward."
"Of course, there is no problem with this banknote in the capital, but I don't know what will happen to other places. Some places are short of food, and there is no way to deal with this banknote."
"That's easy. We can just exchange the notes we sent for food."
"That's a reasonable move. We have high-yield crops in the Ming Dynasty, so we're not short of food these days. But this year, I'm a little uncomfortable. I've barely received any news of famine in the Ministry of Revenue."
"In previous years, by this time of year, there would be famine everywhere. Now with the guarantee of the Heroes Chamber of Commerce, as soon as the seeds of famine appeared, a large amount of affordable grain had already appeared there. We don't have to worry about it at all. It's much more comfortable."
The news from the Qianqing Palace not only affected the officials, but also the eunuchs, palace maids, concubines, and many princes and grandchildren of the emperor, all of whom were trying to find out.
Liu He, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Household Department, has become very busy during this period.
There was no way. When the grandfather and grandson were discussing things in the palace, he was the one guarding the door. How could he hear some of the news inside?
In fact, most of the information was leaked by Liu He. It was not because he could not control his mouth, but he secretly received instructions from Zhu Yuanzhang and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.
It can also be regarded as a test for officials, eunuchs, and the palace.
This dispute involved everyone in the capital.
During the morning court session, everyone tacitly agreed not to talk about this matter. After the meeting, basically no one talked about the morning court session and everyone talked about the issue of salary.
There's no way, this is about my own food.
Whenever Liu He passed the message to the minor officials below, saying that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had won today, the whole court would immediately rejoice.
If it is announced tomorrow that His Majesty has won, there will be cries of grief everywhere.
It can be said that in the 26 years since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, there has never been such a troublesome time as it is now.
This really caused a lot of friction among all the officials, and their emotions were like heaven and earth at one moment and hell at the next.
Finally, it was the morning court of the seventh day.
Today's morning court was exceptionally quiet. After the formalities, not a single word was spoken in the room, not even the sound of breathing could be heard.
Just yesterday, the discussion between the grandfather and grandson came to an end. According to the latest news from Liu He, the eunuch of the Imperial Household Department, the matter has been decided.
Zhu Yuanzhang was sitting on the dragon throne, and Zhu Ying was standing beside him.
After looking around, Zhu Yuanzhang said, "Today's morning court session has something to announce. I think you all have heard some rumors about this matter over the past few days."
"Yes, it is about the salary of officials in our Ming Dynasty."
Hearing this, the eyes of the civil and military officials below began to light up.
Now that the Ming Dynasty is achieving better and better results, colleagues in the Ministry of Revenue are saying that the national treasury is almost full of grain, and now all localities are busy building granaries and preparing reserves.
Taxes are also the highest since the founding of the country, so the salaries of officials have of course increased.
As many officials looked on expectantly, Zhu Yuanzhang coughed twice and said, "Let the crown prince talk to everyone."
Zhu Ying bowed sideways, then took a few steps forward and stood in the middle of the Golden Palace.
"First, let me tell you about the situation in our Ming Dynasty."
"Since the end of the 25th year of Hongwu, nearly half a year has passed. Due to the planting of high-yield crops, all provinces of our Ming Dynasty are currently experiencing high yields. Without delaying the planting of rice and wheat, the high-yield crops we have received are more than three times the grain taxes of previous years."
"Famines in various places have basically been resolved when they occurred. High-yield crops are cold-resistant and drought-resistant, and they are planted on a large scale in various parts of the north, solving the problem of food for the people on a large scale."
"I can't say that every household is starving to death, but it can be said that the phenomenon of starvation has basically begun to disappear in our Ming Dynasty."
"According to estimates, in the next three years, the people of our Ming Dynasty will all have enough food to eat and clothes to wear."
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the Fengtian Hall bowed their heads. All the civil and military officials, guards and eunuchs prostrated themselves on the ground in worship.
The people shouted: "Long live the Ming Dynasty, long live His Majesty!!!"
The passion of the voice and the sincerity of the emotion are the best ever.
The shouts resounded throughout the Fengtian Hall, so loud that even people outside the hall could hear them clearly. As the people in the court shouted, all the guards outside knelt on the ground and shouted.
The sound of cheers from the mountains continued to come from afar, echoing throughout the palace and into the sky.
The lingering sound continues.
Zhu Yuanzhang sat on the dragon throne and watched all this, his face filled with obvious joy, and wrinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes from smiling.
After the voice ended, Zhu Ying continued:
"As the people of the Ming Dynasty enjoy a prosperous life, we naturally cannot forget the officials of the Ming Dynasty. The prosperity of today is inseparable from the hard work of every official in his or her official position."
"The court will never forget any of its subjects, nor will it mistreat any of its subjects."
"Especially good officials who are incorruptible should be treated with special care."
"Therefore, after seven days of discussion, my grandfather and I have decided to raise the salaries of all the officials and carry out reforms."
"The first reform is that all officials' salaries will be paid in the form of banknotes, and various benefits, rewards, and treatment for different ranks will be set up."
"Of course, the specific details of the distribution of each grade will not be explained one by one in the court."
"After today's court meeting, the scholars of the Hanlin Academy, the Minister of Works Shen Xi, the Minister of War Ru Yan, the Minister of Revenue Zhao Mian, the Minister of Personnel Zhan Hui, the Minister of Punishment Yang Jing and others will go to the Huagai Palace to discuss the details."
"It will be announced at tomorrow morning's meeting and will be officially implemented next month."
At this point, Zhu Ying smiled and said, "Don't worry, the new salary system will certainly not disappoint you."
"In the days ahead, I will need you to work tirelessly. I beg you to serve the Ming Dynasty and the people of the Ming Dynasty."
After saying this, Zhu Ying, as the crown prince of the Ming Dynasty, bowed and saluted from a distance.
Suddenly, everyone in the court, from top to bottom, began to aspire to be a great patriot.
The leader, Zhan Hui, knelt down and kowtowed, saying: "I will serve the Ming Dynasty with all my heart and soul until my death!"
All the civil and military officials in the court followed suit and shouted: "I will serve the Ming Dynasty with all my heart and soul until my death!"
Zhu Yuanzhang, watching all this, turned his gaze to the figure of his eldest grandson bowing and salutation.
This bow truly brought the civil and military officials back to their roots.
He knew that in the days to come, he would truly have his eldest grandson's authority and people's hearts under his control.
No matter what you do, you will get the sincere support of the officials.
The officials of the Fengtian Hall were essentially an extension of the emperor's power and had complete control over the court.
The emperor is the emperor.