Rebirth of the Ming Dynasty: Sixth Generation of Glory, I don't want it

"We can't generalize about greed. Some people don't have enough to spend, and some people don't spend enough. But it's true that officials in our Ming Dynasty didn't live very well."

No matter which dynasty it is, anyone who can pass the exam among thousands of scholars has spent ten years of hard study and ten years of support from his family.

These are inevitable.

It was not bad in the past few years. Officials lived a relatively comfortable life. Their monthly salary included rice, wheat and cash. They had food to eat and cash to spend.

He can also take care of the entire family that supports him to some extent.

Later, the salary was adjusted again and again, and then reduced again and again.

I don’t know what’s wrong with my great grandfather.

In the 25th year of Hongwu, the salaries of officials were adjusted for the last time, and it was decided that only rice would be paid as salary from then on.

Return the golden words and jade words - it will be a permanent custom.

The monthly salary of a first-rank official is eighty-seven stones.

From the first rank to the third rank, the amount of fertility decreases gradually from thirteen stones to thirty-five stones.

The third rank is twenty-six shi, the fourth rank is twenty-four shi, the fourth rank is twenty-one shi, the fifth rank is sixteen shi, the fifth rank is fourteen shi, and the sixth rank is ten shi.

From the sixth rank, eight shi, to the seventh rank, to the ninth rank, the amount decreases by five dou, until it reaches five shi.

It would be fine if officials just cut their salaries en masse.

The court officials don’t even use treasure notes to pay their salaries, so how do you expect the common people to use them?

Also, the monthly salary is shamefully low, and there are no other benefits.

Zhu Gaochi did not compare it with the best of the Song Dynasty, but only compared it with the Tang Dynasty, and was confused.

In the Tang Dynasty, the first-rank grand tutor had an annual salary of 700 dan of rice, a monthly salary of 31 guan of silver, and 12 hectares of official land.

Zhu Gaochi was afraid that Zhang Xin didn't understand, so he took a pen and asked Zhang Xin to write all the numbers on paper. He asked Zhang Xin to compare them with each other, with a look of disgust and anger on his face.

Zhang Xin saw this and wanted to express his sympathy to Zhu Gaochi.

It can only be said that Zhu Gaochi's anger at this moment still has a lot of room to develop.

Your royal grandfather was able to make it, and your father was also quite capable—

Not just any person who can——

During the Yongle reign, my father-in-law came up with new ways to deal with officials' salaries.

In order to issue the treasure banknotes in stock.

Comprehensive implementation of rice-discounted banknotes——

For officials, the first and second ranks received four tributaries of rice and six tributaries of cash; the third and fourth ranks received half rice and half cash; the fifth and sixth ranks received six tributaries of rice and four tributaries of cash; the seventh and eighth ranks received eight tributaries of rice and two tributaries of cash.

In order to have money to build the imperial city.

The policy of "discounting rice for goods" was fully implemented, and the official name was "discounting colors" -

Thirty percent of the salary of Beijing officials went into rice, and the remaining 70% was converted into silk, cotton cloth, and yarn in spring and summer, and into sumac, pepper, etc. in autumn and winter.

Anyway, all officials during the Yongle Dynasty had their salaries cut significantly.

It has fallen to the point where even a first-rank official cannot support his family with his salary alone.

What’s worse is that the payment of salary depends on my father-in-law’s mood.

Irregular, not on time, and possibly insufficient. . .

Whether it is folding money or folding items, the ratio is often decided by the father-in-law and can change at any time.

The emperor changes every day, and the prince has to clean up his father's mess every day.

Anyway, Zhu Gaochi was abused by his father for more than twenty years.

There is a regular play that is performed every month in the East Palace.

Every time when the salary should be paid, it is not paid.

Zhu Gaochi created an image of himself as a benevolent and magnanimous person, so officials and subordinates who encountered difficulties would go to Zhu Gaochi for help.

Zhu Gaochi turned around and asked Zhang Xin for money.

Zhang Xin scraped together the money and gave it away.

Zhu Gaochi was highly praised by outsiders.

Then he was scolded by his father-in-law, saying, "As the crown prince, you are trying to win people's hearts. Do you want me to give up the throne to you?" Zhu Gaoxu and Zhu Gaosui added a few sarcastic remarks and took the opportunity to flatter him.

The father and son parted unhappily.

When Zhu Gaochi returned to the East Palace, he went to the backyard to have fun. Seeing that Zhu Gaochi looked unhappy, she went to the kitchen to cook.

Finally, the eldest grandson Zhanji brought the food she prepared and went to the palace at night to coax the old man.

Except when my father-in-law went out to fight, this drama happened almost every month.

At that time, every night when Zhang Xin was alone in her empty room, she would consider whether she should hang herself at the gate of the East Palace to put an end to it all.

If it weren't for the children.

She really was pissed off a long time ago.

There are only two things that have kept her alive for so many years:

The first father-in-law only vented his anger on Zhu Gaochi, while the second Zhanji was helpful in putting out the fire.

However, when I think back on these past events now, they seem like fleeting clouds.

And when Zhang Xin thought of the time when Zhu Gaochi was tortured, she felt relieved.

"What are you thinking about? You look like a rat that has stolen oil. The official is not doing well, so why are you so happy?"

Zhang Xin was so absorbed in her thoughts that the corners of her mouth curled up unconsciously. Zhu Gaochi looked at her for a long time and felt unhappy.

"Really? I'm sympathetic!"

"Liar!"

"See through but don't say it!"

"Uh, do you have a problem with officials?"

"No common people have any special respect for officials. They are just afraid of them. My father said that they have two eyes and one nose anyway. They read more books, but only they know whether they understand them or not. They have all kinds of emotions and desires in their daily lives."

"Your father is quite clear-headed."

"Let's get back to the point. How do we use all the treasures in our palace? Give them as rewards? We will give everyone in our palace a little reward and then we'll leave. It's just in time for the New Year."

Zhang Xin felt that she couldn't let it go any further.

The number of treasure notes on the account book given by Xu was very large.

He rolled up his sleeves and went to check the warehouse.

It is said that the treasure notes alone account for more than half of it.

That is to say, the Yan area is dry. If this happened in the capital, the banknotes would be wasted in less than a year if they were piled up like this.

"If you can use it, use it. If you can't use it, leave it alone. If you use it as a reward, you will be criticized behind your back."

"That's not the case. While it's still worth some money, sell it quickly. It's better to exchange it for food than to leave it there."

At least the treasure notes were still worth some money at that time, and two strings of silver could barely buy one stone of rice.

When the war breaks out next year, if it continues at the same pace as in my previous life, it will last for four years. I vaguely remember that during the chaos, you probably wouldn't be able to buy a bucket of rice.

Everyone was in a panic, wondering what if the emperor's grandfather's banknotes were no longer useful in the future.

A lot of people will sell then.

The value of the banknotes plummeted directly, and it only slowly rebounded after my father-in-law ascended the throne.

Zhang Xin also wanted to take the opportunity to store some food in the palace.

I won’t be afraid even if there is a siege again.

"Okay, since I've handed everything over to you, just make the decision."

Zhu Gaochi could do anything.

"You see, this won't work. I still have some grain in my grain shop. We can give out the treasure notes to my five grain shops. They will give one and a half dou more per stone than other grain shops. This can be considered a benefit from the Prince of Yan's Mansion to everyone, right?"

Zhang Xin suggested.

"Then the treasures we gave out as rewards were also bought in your shop?"

"Make a reward stamp from Prince Yan's Palace?"

"It's feasible. This way they can also use it for their relatives and friends. But they give out rewards without reason and buy the hearts of the people and the army. I don't know if this court will impeach them."

Zhu Gaochi scratched his head, still a little undecided.

"New Year's gift, isn't it almost New Year's Day?

This year happens to be the 30th year of Hongwu, which is a full ten years.

The young prince of Prince Yan's Mansion was also born.

The army has fought many battles over the years, and there are also old, weak, sick and disabled people in the army.

Isn't it true that you always find the right excuse? "

In addition to the reasons mentioned above, Zhang Xin actually feels that she was given a chance to come back again because of her good deeds.

Well, there must be such a thing as cause and effect in this world. It's okay to spend some money and let people say some good things, but there can't be any bad things.

She is the one who does the work, but the money actually belongs to her father-in-law and mother-in-law. As long as this merit can be bestowed upon them, it's worth it!

"Okay, this big head works really fast! Big Flower——"

"Get out—and stop shouting!"

“Hahahahahaha——————”